Untouched
by jEaNs 'N' tEe GiRl
Summary: Full Summary inside- Aubrey Higgins is forced to leave Ipswich after her father finds out about her secret relationship, when she returns a year later what will be instore for the couple kept apart? Reid/OC UPDATE CH27&28 OCT.19th
1. Memories That Pull Us Away

UNTOUCHED

By: jEaNs 'N' tEe GiRl

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is familiar, but I do own my Original Characters, they are a figment of my imagination and how I perceive them to be. Also Brinley Academy does not truly exist!

Summary: Aubrey Higgins was quite literally taken from her home in Ipswich, when her father deemed she'd spiraled out of control after finding out about her 'certain someone'. He sent her away to Brinley Academy in Westport, Maine to get her away from that same 'certain someone' saying it was for her own good. When Aubrey gets expelled from Brinley and Black Listed for her shenanigans her father has no choice but to let her return to Spencer Academy.

Aubrey vows that when the inheritance her mother's left her, after passing away from cancer three years prier, comes through on her eighteenth birthday that she will no longer be under her father's roof and can do as she pleases. But will she be able to wait that long or will that 'certain someone' she'd been dragged away from have other plans in mind?

Chapter 1: Memories That Pull Us Away

_"Miss Higgins would you care to enlighten us with the answer to what's written on the board." _

_A young reserved girl in the back of the stadium seating, at the top in the corner away from lingering eyes looked up. Her brown eyes falling on the teacher down below sitting leaned back against the front of his desk. She tucked the loose brown hair behind her ears and nodded._

_"Negative four." She answered her pen momentarily ceasing it's vehement writings._

_"Very good. Mr. Garwin please explain how Miss Higgins came up with that number."_

_"Guessed." He said sarcastically._

_The whole class snickered lowly and the Professor shook his head. "No Mr. Garwin, please stay after class." At the end of class Reid walked up to his professor. "Miss Higgins would you mind staying behind as well." The young girl walked up to the front desk as well._

_"Yes?"_

_"Mr. Garwin here seems to be failing my class..."_

_"Shocker." Reid bit out sardonically._

_The professor simply shook his head at Reid's annoying defiant behavior. "I'd be very appreciative if you would consider tutoring him." She nodded. "Good, I'll let you two work out a tutoring schedule then." With that he left for his office. _

_Reid looked at the girl with a raised brow and then started to leave. "Teacher's pet." He bit out harshly as he walked passed her and left the classroom._

_??_

_That same girl sat in the far back corner of the library, writing furiously in a black composition notebook. She heard someone clear their throat, a male someone and lifted her head up. "You're a hard girl to find."_

_"Maybe I didn't want to be found."_

_"Tough. Your father called me in to his office, gave me an ultimatum either get a tutor and pass the class and go on to my sophomore year, or fail and get held back. And while that sounds like tons of fun, I'll pass on sitting with sniveling freshmen next year." Reid said in disgust._

_"I'm sorry I generously offered you my time and you turned it down, so how about you go find yourself someone else to tutor you." She said irritated and went back to her notebook._

_Reid clenched his fists. "Look..." The girl sighed._

_"Aubrey." She said flatly knowing he didn't know her first name. She stuffed her notebook and pen in her messenger bag and stood up from the floor of the corner. She dusted of her jean clad bottom as she did so._

_"Look Aubrey..."_

_"No you look, I am so sick of every one thinking that I'm just some bookworm they can make fun of because I'm the provosts daughter and I happen to be smart. So the answer is no. No, no, no. N-O! Deal with it."_

_Reid frowned at her. "What am I supposed to do then?" He questioned in annoyance._

_Aubrey shrugged. "Not my problem." She went to walk passed him and he grabbed her bicep holding her back. _

_"Look I really need a tutor." Reid said._

_"And I really need to get the hell out of Ipswich, wish in one hand shit in the other and see which fills faster." She growled yanking her arm away from him and walking away._

_??_

_"Look I was out of line, that day I called you a teachers pet." Reid said not looking away from his Geometry book. _

_Aubrey looked up from hers. "I guess that's as close to an apology as I'll ever get from you Reid Garwin." She said lightly looking back down at her book._

_Reid glanced at her, he hadn't noticed her all freshmen year, what was so different now. He saw her once a day in the library where they would study and then they'd go their separate ways. She didn't go out of her way to look stunning and she didn't do anything that could get her in trouble. Where as he made it a point to cause some sort of trouble at least once a day._

_It had taken him only two days to annoy her to the point where she'd help him in math and now two months later he'd pulled up his grade to a high D. "Stop staring and do your work." _

_Reid smirked to cover his discomfort of being caught staring at her. "So what's it like being the Provosts daughter?" He asked._

_Aubrey looked up at him slightly annoyed. "Like I want to shoot myself in the foot every day, why?"_

_"Wow that's a bit harsh don't you think?"_

_"Everyone around her seems to think I get special treatment for being the provosts daughter and they hate me for it. Or there's people like you who seem to think I suck up to my teachers because I'm such a goody-two-shoes. Is it so hard to believe that all I want is to get good grades, graduate, and then get as far away from Ipswich as possible?" Aubrey asked a bit defensively. Her eyes held a fierceness Reid had never seen before. But like he said he'd never paid attention to her until now._

_"Why do you want to get away from Ipswich so bad?" Reid questioned before he could stop himself._

_Aubrey snorted. "Mostly because I hate my father for letting my mother die." Aubrey gathered her books and held them to her chest and stood walking away from Reid._

_??_

_"This is hopeless!" Reid said slamming his geometry book shut. "It's been four months and I still haven't pulled my grade higher then a D plus."_

_"Well what do you think will help?" Aubrey asked calmly not looking up from her notebook at his tantrum._

_Reid snorted. "Short of a smart person invading my body every day for an hour, nothing. I hate math, I hate geometry and I am never going to use it in real life." He said irritated._

_Aubrey decided to take a new approach. "Do you play any sports?"_

_"No."_

_"Anything that interests you?"_

_"Like?" Reid asked uncaring._

_Aubrey sighed. "Hobbies, games..."_

_"I play pool." Reid said nonchalantly._

_A smile appeared on her lips. "Are you any good?" _

_Reid nodded. "I don't suck if that's what your asking."_

_Aubrey stood up from her seat and gathered her books, sticking them in her messenger bag. "You use geometry you just don't realize it. Come on, we are taking a field trip." She said with a grin._

_A grin placed itself on Reid's lips. He'd grown accustomed to seeing her every day. He'd caught himself staring a time or two during their tutoring sessions. She wasn't 'Would you look at that?' beautiful, but her beauty took time to comprehend. She had soft flawless skin, deep brown soulful eyes, long brown hair highlighted with natural dark blond. He'd also come to realize she had a bit of a bark to her bite, Aubrey could defend herself verbally quite well. Something he'd never expected about the reserved girl. But he didn't really know anything about her._

_"Where are we going?" Reid questioned gathering his books and carrying them grasped in his hand at his side casually._

_"Nicky's." Was all Aubrey said as she lead him to the parking lot. _

_??_

_"You beat me." Reid said his jaw dropping._

_Aubrey grinned. "And I used geometry to do it." She said. "Under normal circumstances I probably wouldn't have made any of those shots."_

_"How?" Reid asked._

_Aubrey smiled knowing she'd finally found a way to relate Reid with geometry._

_??_

_"Dream on Reid." The blond girl walk away from him. Reid hung his head turning around and leaning back against the lockers he'd been propped up against._

_"You know if you put enough effort in to school as you did hitting on girls you'd probably be number one in the class." Reid opened his eyes to see Aubrey standing before him._

_"Go away Higgins." He said annoyed._

_"Unfortunately Garwin you are leaning against my locker, and I need my French book." Reid shifted to the side and Aubrey stepped in to reach her locker. "Rough day?"_

_"You could say that." He grunted._

_"Why because Kimber the sophomore homecoming queen along with the rest of the girl population of Spencer didn't fall for you?" She mocked._

_Reid looked over at her and sneered. "Shut up Higgins girls like me just fine."_

_"Right." Aubrey said switching out her text books and shutting her locker. "You keep telling yourself that." With that said Aubrey left Reid standing there and he watched her go. Who was he kidding the girl was right. There were very few girls that actually liked Reid's company, he never understood why. He was rich, good looking, had that bad boy thing going for him, but most of the time the girls wouldn't even give him a second glance. That would change someday. He just needed to keep telling himself that._

_??_

_"Ok fine I want your opinion." Reid said. He and Aubrey were at Nicky's again after studying a little in the library. This had become a regular event especially when Reid was having a hard time relating geometry to something in his head. He and Aubrey were on good terms, not completely friends but they talked during the study sessions. _

_After spending five and a half months with the same person it kind of gets old not talking at all. Tyler had started teasing Reid about liking the Provosts daughter and Pogue and Caleb had encouraged him. Reid denied it, but he couldn't help if he'd started seeing her in a slightly different light, but she never let on that she liked him in any other way besides being his tutor friend. _

_"Your cocky, over arrogant and you say the cheesiest pick up lines. Girls want someone that's real, sweet and kind." Aubrey said angling her shot and taping the white ball ever so gently with the end of the cue. _

_After her shot missed Reid went in for his next shot. "I can't help it if I'm confident." He said knocking in the solid blue in the corner pocket._

_"Confidence and cockiness are very different Reid. Confidence is sexy but reeled in. Cockiness is just a complete turn off." Aubrey informed him watching him move in to take another shot._

_Reid snorted. "How would you know?"_

_"I'm a girl. Or have you forgotten. And I'm fourteen and a half I make it my business to know these things." Aubrey said matter-oh-factly._

_"And yet you are still boyfriend-less." He mocked her. Having missed his shot he turned looking at her leaning on his pool cue. _

_Aubrey glared at him. "Maybe I don't want boyfriends. Besides most guys that say I'm worth their time want to impress my father, not me. I want to have a boyfriend who wants to impress me."_

_"Picky, picky. You know..."_

_"No Garwin."_

_??_

_Sniffling. She was sniffling, her back turned to him as she sat on the bench just outside the school gymnasium. The music was just a dull thrum in the background as I walked towards her. She was wearing an off white v neck halter dress, with a see through material around the abdomen, delicate jewel work to decorate. The off white chiffon fabric fell straight down her slender frame, if he remembered correctly from the few times he'd seen her that night._

_"Hey." Aubrey stiffened and turned her head before turning back away._

_"Go away Garwin." She said wiping at her eyes. Reid sat down next to her ignoring her request._

_"I can't do that." He said lightly looking over at her, despite the bit of black streaking down from her eyes, so looked gorgeous. She wore light make consisting of black eye liner, mascara and a shimmer over her eye lids that sparkled in the moonlight. Her full pouty lips were smeared lightly with gloss and her skin was light and flawless. "See this girl I know is crying outside on a bench."_

_Aubrey snorted wiping away the remnants of runny make-up from her face with her thumbs and the back of her hand. "I think she'd rather be left alone."_

_"Come on tell me what happened?" Reid asked._

_"No go away." Aubrey said turning her body and looking away from him._

_"I'm not going anywhere..."_

_"Fine then I will." Aubrey stood and Reid could hear the click of her stiletto heels as she quickly walked away from him. _

_Reid stood walking after her quickly trying to catch up. "Come on we're friends right? Tell me what's wrong."_

_"No we aren't friends. I'm your tutor who you talk to occasionally to pass the time." She irately._

_Reid scoffed. "Well slap my ass and call me stupid." He said jokingly sarcastic. A small giggle escaped Aubrey's lips. "I heard that." Reid mocked lightly, playfully._

_Aubrey stopped walking and turned to him, he'd fallen in step next to her. "What do you care Garwin, why I was crying?" She asked._

_"I honestly can't tell you." Reid said looking slightly confused. "It's just I've never seen you with anybody, you steer clear of people and I just..." He paused trying to think of the right words to say. "I just thought you might want someone to talk to."_

_A tiny twitch rose the corner of her lips into a itty bitty smile. "Well slap my ass and call me stupid, Reid Garwin's acting like a human being." She mocked._

_Reid frowned at her. "Well if your just going to mock my sincerity I think I'll go." Reid moved to leave but Aubrey reached out grabbing his arm. He wore a black collared button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a white tie with black slacks and interesting enough mens black dress shoes. But to rebel he wore a three row studded black belt. _

_"Wait." She said lightly. Reid turned and looked at her questioningly. "If you go who will the girl talk to." He grinned._

_"The voices in her head." _

_"Now who's mocking whom?" She questioned jokingly. She let go of his arm, noticing briefly the tingle the ran its course from her finger tips through her body. "My dad made me come tonight."_

_"Why is that so bad?" Reid asked curiously._

_Aubrey sighed. "He just likes to parade that he has 'family values' to his students. I can't stand it when he uses me. Did you know members from the school board were here tonight? That's the only reason he wanted me here. And what makes it worse, he made me come with his colleagues son, who is in college and a complete jerk." She vented._

_Reid's lips twitched into a half smile. "Feel better?" Aubrey nodded a little crossing her arms over her chest and looking down. "I can see how the night would suck a little."_

_"More like a lot. Logan decided because I was his date he could fondle me every chance he got. And to top it all off, he said if I was lucky after tonight he might take me to dinner. One good recommendation from my father and he could get in to an even better ivy league school next year. What a pompous asshole." Aubrey fumed._

_Reid looked at her and nodded. "Why don't you have any friends?"_

_"Same reason I don't have boyfriends, everyones looking to get on my father's good side by getting in good with me." Aubrey said looking down at her strapy blue heels. "Logan is just a perfect example, he volunteered to be my date when he overheard our fathers talking."_

_"Well I'm not looking to get on his good side." Reid said matter-oh-factly. _

_"No you just want me to have sex with you." She said back._

_Reid shook his head. "No, not really. But I know you dislike your father and what better way to show him then to hang out with the student he dislikes the most."_

_"I'm sure you rank in the top four but you aren't number one." Aubrey said back. "I'd have better luck befriending Carl Lancaster."_

_"Carl is a poser, he does shit just to get sent to the office so people think he's cool." Reid said shaking his head. "No you don't want to be friends with him."_

_A small laugh escaped from Aubrey's lips. "But I should be friends with you?"_

_"Why not? You see me every day anyway." Reid said nonchalantly._

_"And this isn't some ploy to get in good with my father, by befriending his socially malfunctioned daughter?"_

_"Definitely not." Reid smirked._

_"Or some ploy to get me in bed?" _

_"You're not that pretty." Reid said carelessly._

_Aubrey scoffed. "God your an ass."_

_"But we're friends." Reid taunted playfully._

_"I'm going to regret this." Aubrey said shaking her head shamefully._

_Reid chuckled. "Come on, I think you have a date to get back to. And I'm sure Caleb's wondering where I've gone off to. God forbid I miss the point where he's announced lead schmuck by Provost Higgins."_

_"God being friends with you has got to be painful." Aubrey said as Reid offered her his arm. She linked her arm with his._

_"That's what they tell me." Reid grinned proudly._

_Aubrey sighed. "Let's just keep our friendship..."_

_"On the D.L." Reid said._

_"What?" Aubrey asked._

_Reid frowned at her unbelievingly. "The down low. Come on you aren't _that_ antisocial are you?"_

_Aubrey smiled sheepishly. "Of course not, I knew that." _

_"Liar." Reid said as they headed up the steps to the main doors._

_??_

_"So what are your plans this weekend?" Aubrey asked leaning back against the wall in the back corner of the library._

_Reid shrugged. "Probably go to Nicky's, other than that nothing."_

_"Wow how repetitive of you." She teased._

_"Well what are_ you_ doing?" Reid questioned. "Staying home and reading a book?" He mocked._

_"Actually no." Aubrey told him. "I am going to Boston for the weekend. My mother she, she left me her flat there and I think it's about time that I go see it."_

_Reid scoffed lightly. "You just turned fifteen, you can't go alone to Boston and spend the weekend alone wondering around that city. It's dangerous."_

_"You care." She teased shoving him slightly with her shoulder._

_Reid chuckled. "Nah just trying to come up with an excuse for you to take me." He joked back._

_Aubrey looked over at him and smiled. "You don't need excuses, I was going to ask you to come with me anyway."_

_"Really? Tyler's the only one to ever ask me if I wanted to go somewhere." He said thoughtfully._

_Aubrey shrugged. "Well I'm asking."_

_"And your father knows you're going?" Reid questioned._

_"I told him I needed to be alone with her things for a little while." Aubrey said softly. Reid nodded._

_"Ok."_

_??_

_"So where'd you learn to cook?" _

_"My mom." Aubrey said. They were sitting on the sofa in Aubrey's flat/apartment eating homemade chicken pot pie. _

_"Really the only thing my mom ever taught me to make was a gray goose martini." Reid joked. Then his slight laughter died away. "How'd she die?"_

_Aubrey looked over at him and leaned forward setting her bowl down on the coffee table in front of the couch. When she sat back she let out a heavy sigh. "Cancer. At one point her doctor didn't think she was in the right frame of mind to make her own decisions and when he asked my father if they should keep trying, my father said no. He said it was for her own good, but really I think he just didn't want to take care of her anymore. He gave up and that's when I stopped having respect for him."_

_"I'm..."_

_"Please don't. I never understood why everyone feels the need to apologize when someone dies. It's not like they killed her, it's not like you killed her. 'I'm sorry' starts sounding mindless and numb after a while though." Aubrey said thoughtfully. Reid's eyes shifted downward and Aubrey took the chance to change the subject. "Stop staring at my boobs." _

_"What? I wasn't..." Reid's eyes moved back up quickly to hers. He saw the mischief and amusement on her face and frowned._

_"Gotcha." _

_He glared playfully. "You are so dead." He stood setting his bowl down and Aubrey quickly stood running towards the bedroom away from him._

_Reid went after her in to the room, looking around he didn't see her. He heard something creak behind him and turned seeing her trying to sneak out of the door behind him. But he was too fast for her snatching her around the waist he dropped her on the bed and started tickling her._

_Aubrey laughed hysterically trying to grab at his hands or push him away. "Stop! Stop! Please!" She laughed._

_"Say uncle."_

_"Never!" She cried through her laughter. Reid kept tickling her. After about three minutes Aubrey couldn't breath she was laughing so hard and the lack of oxygen was starting to make her dizzy. "Uncle!" She screamed in mirth._

_Reid smirked down at her, leaning over her as she lay on the bed wiggling as his fingers finally ceased their assault. He looked in to her eyes and froze. Aubrey was staring back at him her smile soon melting away as she just watched him watching her. _

_Aubrey watched his eyes change from amusement to something else. Something she wasn't quite sure she'd seen in his eyes before. His face was getting closer to her own and she in took a deep breath just as his lips came within centimeters of her own. He looked away from her eyes at her lips and then back almost asking permission._

_Reid didn't know what had pulled him in, but he didn't mind and she didn't seem to resist as he pressed his lips to hers. Aubrey's hands soon found their way into his hair. While Reid had one hand on her hip the other pressed firmly into the mattress next to her head supporting his weight off of her smaller frame._

_??_

_"Ty I'm going out." Reid said grabbing his keys and cell phone and heading for his dorm room door. _

_"Third time this week Reid, where you going?" Ty asked curiously._

_Reid shrugged turning to look at his best friend. "No where."_

_"Seriously Reid, man you know you can tell me things right."_

_"Are we girls Ty? No. I didn't think so either. Nothings up I'm just going out." Reid said irritably._

_Tyler sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever man." With that Reid left the room after a quick see ya to his roommate and long time friend..._

_A giggle, he made her giggle. Reid broke away from her neck pulling back to look at her face. "You know Baby Boys starting to get suspicious about my where abouts and where I've been going off to." He said grinning at her._

_Aubrey's arm were around his neck her fingers playing lightly with the hair at the nape of his neck. "You tell him?" She asked._

_Reid shook his head. "No, but I want to. He's my best friend Bre." He said getting a little serious._

_"So all summer you didn't want to tell them and now being back in the dorms you want to tell Tyler?" She questioned softly._

_"It was easy to get away this summer, I didn't live with him then. Now I do and I know he's just worried I'm off doing something stupid." Reid explain holding her pinned against the tree. They were at the cliffs over looking the dells, where the senior party was held most years. _

_Aubrey nodded. "Ok."_

_"Ok?" Reid asked raising a brow at her lack of argument._

_She nodded again. "He's your best friend. If you trust him not to run off and tell my father than tell him. I just..."_

_"Don't want your dad to find out I know." Reid said seeming a little disappointed._

_Aubrey brought one of her hands forward resting it delicately against his cheek. "He'll ruin it if he ever finds out Reid. He'll say you're no good for me and he wont let me see you. I don't want that, do you?"_

_"No." He emphasized this by kissing her lips softly. Aubrey smiled against his lips and Reid smirked seeing her eyes light up. He pressed his lips to hers more passionately, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth playfully asking for admittance and she opened willing with a soft moan of enjoyment._

_??_

_Reid walked in to the library to the right, avoiding the librarian at the front as he disappeared behind the large bookshelves and made his way to the back corner. This had become quite easy for him to do after seven months. It was now march of his sophomore year and he and Aubrey had managed to keep their relationship completely under wraps. The only people who knew were the guys and Pogue's girlfriend Kate. _

_They'd been sworn to secrecy, by Reid. He made his way to the back corner and saw her sitting there with her notebook writing frantically. "Hey." He said quietly._

_Aubrey looked up at him and smiled. "Hey." Reid sat down next to her kissing her in greeting and her smile just grew bigger. "So my dad's gonna be gone all day saturday." _

_Reid smirked. "Is that an invite Miss Higgins?" He asked playfully burying his face in her neck and gently placing light nips and kisses on her soft skin._

_"Yeah." Aubrey said tilting her head a bit giving him more access._

_"I'm there." He muttered in to her skin making her giggle._

_??_

_"Come on we can rinse the chlorine off in my shower." Aubrey said grabbing his hand and dragging him upstairs to her room. They'd gone for a swim in the Higgins pool in her spacious backyard. _

_Aubrey made her way in to the bathroom shutting the door behind her, leaving Reid in her room alone. The next thing Aubrey knew the shower curtain opened and Reid stepped in still clad in his soaked board shorts. "Mind if I join you?" He asked huskily._

_The girl before him hadn't had time to remove her bathing suit and while he was slightly disappointed at the thought, they hadn't gone that far and he didn't want to push her to do anything she wasn't ready for. Aubrey smiled at him and then turned back to let the hot water cascade over her form, as it seemed in rinsing the chlorinated water from her hair. _

_After quickly washing her hair with some distraction, as Reid kept dragging his fingers up and down her hips, Aubrey turned to him pouring shampoo in to her open palm. Reid grinned as she started massaging the shampoo into his scalp and was unhappy the moment she stopped. "Rinse." She instructed with a playfully smile that reached her eyes._

_Getting the remaining remnants of shampoo out of his hair Reid stepped out from under the constant stream of shower water pulling Aubrey closer to his chest, pressing her against the side wall of the shower. "You know I've had fantasies about this." He said looking into her eyes devilishly._

_Aubrey grinned. "Really?"_

_He nodded. "Yeah." He said leaning down and pressing his lips along her jaw and down her neck to her shoulder. Aubrey sighed as her fingernails gripped in to his shoulder blades and just like that the moment was over._

_They both heard the door slam and instantly broke away from each other looking completely nervous. "I thought you said..."_

_"I did. He wasn't supposed to be back this early." Aubrey said shutting off the shower and climbing out of the tub snatching her light blue robe from the hanger on the back of her bathroom door._

_"AUBREY!"_

_"JUST A SEC DAD!" She yelled as she pushed Reid in to her room running over and shutting and locking her bedroom door. Reid quickly started gathering up his clothes, he slipped his jeans on over his board shorts not caring if they got wet. _

_"Where are shoes?" Reid questioned frantically. Aubrey came over handing them to him. "Thanks." He said smiling at her._

_"Shh...if we get caught..." _

_"Sweets, don't worry so much." His demeanor turning cocky._

_"AUBREY!" _

_"COMING DAD!" She turned back to the boy standing next to her window. "Go please." She whispered. Turning her head slightly as the door started to rattle._

_"Not without a kiss." He bargained grinning at her._

_"Please?" She begged._

_"No."_

_"Aubrey why is this door locked!" _

_"Just a sec dad I'm in a...towel." She lied._

_"Aubrey open this door right now!"_

_"Hold on!" Aubrey turned back to the boy, his light blue eyes. "Go, just go Reid." She hissed lightly._

_Reid smirked. "Nope, I'm staying right here until..." So Aubrey did the only thing she could do, to get him to leave. She tip toed up pressing her lips against his in a firm kiss. Reid put his arms around her waist pulling her closer until they're lips parted and he sighed dropping his forehead lightly against hers._

_"Tomorrow? Back corner of the library?" Aubrey asked softly. _

_He nodded his eyes watching her with such... "I love you." Love. _

_Aubrey smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love you too. Go now before he kicks the door in." She insisted with a soft giggle hearing the door handle jiggling again._

_"Aubrey Morgan Higgins open this door right now!" Reid released her with one last kiss on the lips and stepped through her open window hunched over one leg at a time and he dropped in to the garden below. Aubrey watched to make sure he went around the side of the house before closing her window and grabbing a towel hurriedly wrapping her hair up into it. She walked swiftly over to the door and unlocked it._

_"Dad." She said casually._

_Robert Higgins a man of many years walked through the threshold of her door looking around. "What were you doing in here?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest._

_Aubrey walked over and sat down on her bed. "Nothing. I told you I just got out of the shower." She said looking up at him with a smile. "Don't worry so much."_

_Robert sighed and relaxed a bit. "It's just your my daughter, I only do what I think is best for you. You know that right?"_

_Aubrey smiled. "Of course Dad." She lied._

_"It's just with your mother gone..." He trailed off a bit uncomfortable. "You would tell me if something was going on with you?"_

_She nodded. "Of course Dad. But you don't need to worry."_

_Robert eyed her a bit suspiciously. "Remove the towel."_

_"Dad." _

_"Humor me." He said gently._

_Aubrey removed the towel from her brown locks, waterlogged ringlets fell down around her shoulders. "See." She said smiling._

_Robert smiled back. "Ok. Do your homework and go straight to bed, you've got to be up early tomorrow for classes."_

_"Yeah dad I know."_

_"Night Sweetheart."_

_"Night." _

_??_

_"Holy shit!" Reid and Aubrey broke away from one another and looked over at the person that intruded on their time together._

_Reid groaned. "Fuck." He muttered. "Abbot..."_

_"Dude your fucking the Provosts daughter!" Abbot laughed. "Oh man wait till the guys hear this one."_

_"No." Reid said moving away from Aubrey and towards Abbot._

_Aaron smirked at him. "Why the fuck not? You've got balls going after Higgins daughter man, I'll give you that." Reid knew Aaron was completely sober so he couldn't just play it off as he was seeing things._

_"Abbot man..."_

_"Fuck this is too good." Aaron turned and started to walk away a new pep to his step as he headed back for the back door of Nicky's. Reid did the only thing he thought he could and grabbed Aaron spinning him around and decking him straight in the face._

_Aubrey ran over grabbing Reid's arm. "Come on Reid." She said frantically. Reid followed after her to her car and they got in and she drove away from Nicky's. "Oh god this is not good." She said upset._

_Reid looked over at her, he could see tears building in her eyes. "It'll be ok."_

_"No Reid really it wont. You just so fucked this up!" She said pulling off the main road driving down an old dirt path and stopping just inside a clearing. She shut the car off and dropped her forehead on to the steering wheel._

_"Me? How did I fuck this up?" Reid asked angrily._

_Aubrey lifted her head, her eyes full of fire. "You hit him! You've officially provoked him Reid what the fuck do you think he's going to do?" _

_Reid realized and sighed hanging his head. "Fuck. I'm so sorry Sweets."_

_"I don't want to say goodbye to you." She whispered._

_Reid leaned over the center console and grabbed her face gently in his hands and made her look at him. "That wont happen. I wont let it. Not now, not ever."_

_"I love you." Aubrey said resting her forehead against Reid's._

_Reid kissed her softly. "I love you too."_

_??_

_"Mr. Garwin I assume you know why you've been called in to my office?" Reid nodded. "You and Mr. Abbot were seen in a fight last night..."_

_"Yes sir." Reid nodded again._

_"Mr. Abbot has also brought your relationship with my daughter into the situation. What might I ask are you doing with my daughter?" He questioned like an angry parent._

_"Non of your business." Reid said sarcastically._

_"It is my business. Aubrey is my daughter, she's bound for great things, you will not ruin that for her." _

_"No offense but I haven't ruined anything for her, if you want to know who's ruin her why don't you take a good look in the mirror." Reid said bitterly standing and leaving the office abruptly slamming the door behind him._

_??_

_There was pounding on his dorm room door and Reid quickly made his way over opening it and Aubrey rushed in shutting it behind her. "What's wrong?" Reid asked seeing her frantic face._

_Aubrey started crying and she reached forward hugging him pressing her face into his bare chest. He'd just returned from the showers barely having time to put his jeans on before Aubrey turned up knocking his door. "He's sending me away to Brinley." She said choking on her words as she cried heavily. _

_Reid spluttered. "What?" _

_Aubrey pulled away looking up at him, tears streaked down her face. "He's...sending...me away." She said between agonizing gasps of air._

_"Oh god." Reid pulled her in tight holding her to him kissing her head. "This is all my fault."_

_"I don't want to leave you." She said into his chest._

_Reid sighed pushing her back holding her biceps gently and looking down in to her eyes. "It'll be ok..." Just then Tyler walked in._

_"Hey man there's security at the..." He paused as the two guards let themselves in passed him and walked over to Aubrey._

_"Aubrey..." One of them said sternly. _

_"Just come with us, it'll be easier." The other added. Aubrey shook her head and Reid pulled her in tighter. _

_The first guard gently took hold of Reid while the other grabbed Aubrey's arms pulling her away, it took force to break their grip and Aubrey started crying as the other practically dragged her from the room. Tyler watched in astonishment as his best friend thrashed against the guard that held him back. "NO! YOU CAN'T TAKE HER! NO AUBREY!" He yelled after them._

_Aubrey was in hysterics. "REID! NO PLEASE! NO!" She screamed trying to break the hold the guard hand on her. "LET ME GO!" She yelled at him._

_"I'm sorry Aubrey." The guard said pulling her out of the dorms._

_The guard asked Tyler for his help and he shook his head. "No. This isn't right." Tyler said._

_"DAMN RIGHT IT ISN'T RIGHT! LET ME GO ASSHOLE!" Reid yelled furiously. The guard held him till he got the all clear over his walkie and let him go. Reid took off down the now filled halls of the dorms towards the front doors. He ran through them just in time to see a yellow cab pulling away. _

_Aubrey looked out the back window, her brown eyes deeply saddened and her hand pressed against the glass. Reid ran after the car but it was no use, he gave up chase when he saw the tail lights turn on to another road out of his sight. "No." He dropped to his knees in the middle of the street just as the rain started to pour down. _

AN: I know I havent finished the other but i will, pics for this story are up...if i get enough feedback I might be willing to continue, I am not sure yet...but i want to...let me know what you think!


	2. Letters Of Love

Chapter 2: Letters of Love

Tyler grabbed his and Reid's mail from their box at the administration office. Each student who boarded at the school had a box assigned to their dorm room. Saying good day to the older receptionist who smiled at him Tyler headed for his dorm.

He walked the halls occasionally saying hi to fellow classmates or swim team members he passed in the halls. Making it to his dorm door he used his key letting himself in. Throwing his book bag next to his desk he made his way over to his bed flopping back leaning against his fluffed pillow on his neatly made bed. Reid's was a disaster area though, jeans strewn at the end of the bed the blankets practically on the floor, barely hanging on by the tucked in portions.

Tyler glanced over at the empty space of wall next to the bathroom and saw a rather large hole. Reid had done that after he'd come back inside _that_ day. Tyler had never seen his best friend so upset. He'd seen him pissed off plenty of times, but Reid had taken his anger to a whole other level.

Reid barely spoke to the others, only talking to Tyler when he needed to or rather had to. Reid skipped more classes then he attended and he spent plenty of time in detention.

It had been a month and a half since Aubrey was taken to Brinley. It had started out a wonderful junior year, so close to senior year, so close to graduation and Reid had even calmed down a bit since he and Aubrey had become involved, but all that was ripped away. Tyler couldn't say that he knew how his friend felt, he honestly didn't know what Reid was feeling. He did know he'd grown a new hatred for the Provost and the Provost seemed to gather more anger towards Reid as well.

_Flash back:_

_Tyler watched as Reid was escorted by the security guard back in to the room, the other had long since left. Reid was drenched and shivering as he walked towards the bathroom stopping short of entering._

_"Man, look I..." _

_Reid let out an angry growl as he pulled his fist back and then pushed it abruptly through the wall. It had happened so fast Tyler hadn't known how to react._

_End Flash back_

Reid had gotten into more fights then usual with Aaron at Nicky's in the last few weeks as well. Tyler sighed looking back at the mail in his hands, not sure what he could do to bring his friend back. He started sifting through the mail separating his and Reid's in two piles on either side of him. When he was finished he grabbed Reid's pile and set it on his night stand and then his own thumbing threw to see if there was anything worth opening right at that moment.

He found a letter addressed to him, with no return address but the date stamp read 'Westport, MA'. Curious if he hadn't separated right he looked again at the name and address. _Tyler Simms._ It read it clearly. Tyler knew what was in Westport, he'd looked it up after Reid had told him where they'd taken her. Curiosity got the better of him and he tore the seal and pulled out several pages. The top one was written to him, but as he pulled the first page from the other's he saw a rather lengthy letter to Reid.

_**Tyler,**_

_**I know you're probably wondering why I addressed this to you. Knowing my father and his dissapproval of Reid and I, I know he's keeping an eye on Reid's mail, making sure I can't contact him. Yes, you see a kind gentle old man, but trust me he can be a complete asshole when he wants to be. Like now, he's taken my car, my cell phone and my laptop. Any school work I have to do, has to be done in the library under supervision. **_

_**Anyway if you could please give Reid the letter I enclosed I would be forever grateful. **_

_**Thank You,**_

_**Aubrey**_

**Tyler reread the letter until he finally had the sense to pull his cell phone out and speed dial Reid.**

"Ya?" Came the short reply.

"Where are you?"

"Out."

"Reid..."

"Look I don't need a mother Ty."

"Fine then I'll just leave the letter Aubrey sent you on your hell hole of bed to get miss placed!" Tyler growled back at his friend. He shut his cell phone before Reid could reply. And not ten minutes later Reid was walking through the door.

"Where is it?" He asked looking at his friend. Tyler handed him the three page letter and Reid sat down on the edge of his bed and looked it over. Then looked back at Tyler. "Thanks."

Tyler gave him a small smile. "Any time man. I hope it makes you feel better."

Reid shook his head. "It's not her, but it's something."

"You really care about her, don't you?" Tyler asked. He'd never seen Reid act this way about anyone.

A hurt expression clouded Reid's face as he looked directly at his best friend. "I love her." Tyler nodded his head and got up from his bed.

"I'm gonna go shower and leave you alone."

"Really Ty thanks for not turning this over to the provost." Reid said sincerely.

Tyler gave a weak smile. "What he's doing isn't right, so if you want to reply let me know, I'll ask Kate if she'd send it off for you."

Reid nodded and with that Tyler grabbed his shower supplies and left Reid to Aubrey's letter.

The blond shifted so he was laying on his bed, legs outstretch before him, head rested on his lumpy pillow and the letter held in his hands hovering over his face. He couldn't help noticing her neat handwriting, the thought made him smile. She wrote so elegantly for such a fast writer. Each curve and stroke was almost delicate and slightly bubbled.

His mind focused on the words as he began to read silently to himself.

_**Reid,**_

_**Saying I miss you isn't enough. It doesn't even begin to cover how I feel right at the moment. And I'm sorry it's taken me this long to write. It's like prison here. The Headmistress is like a Warden, constantly checking in on me per my father's request. **_

_**I have no car, no cell phone, and my laptop was taken away as well. Basically no freedom. I figure my father's gone to all the trouble to cut off my communications to you that he's probably checking your incoming mail at the school, so I addressed the envelope to Tyler and left the return address blank. Thank Ty for me, I'll owe him one for this.**_

_**My first week here I began to understand why my father chose this school. Not only is it year round boarding, but it really is like a prison. Night guards are posted at every exit/entrance to the dormitories at night, no student can sneak in after hours without being caught and no student can sneak out. There's iron bars on all the windows, they say it's for our protection. I'll believe that when pigs fly. Skipping classes is not an option since I have no car to sneak away with. Not that it would matter there's camera's on the student parking lot preventing students from leaving the grounds unnoticed. Curfew here or better 'lights out' is nine o'clock sharp. Ridiculous yes I agree with you...**_

Reid smiled. She'd guessed exactly what he would think if they had been talking face to face. She knew him all too well.

_**...The headmistress has had the pleasure of my company several times since I've been here. For a girl who's never made a trip to the office, I think I've made up for it in the last month and a half. You'd be proud really. My teachers find me absolutely obnoxious, kind of like this boy I know. Maybe you know him. Blond, bad boy type, smart ass, with a hatred for all things math related, who wears fingerless gloves and has this killer 'makes you weak at the knees' smile... **_

_Flash back:_

_"I don't get it." Reid commented as he and Aubrey lay on his bed at the Garwin estate. Reid's parents were away for the weekend, so he'd invited her over for movies._

_Aubrey was laying snuggled against his side head on his shoulder, while Reid lay propped up against his headboard. She looked up at him and smiled. "It's a love story, Reid."_

_"But I don't understand, what's with the old couple?" Reid questioned turning his head to look at her._

_Aubrey rolled her eyes. "It'll be revealed at the end of the movie, be patient." She said softly._

_Reid sighed but didn't speak anymore until the end of the movie. "I'm still lost."_

_Aubrey giggled. "We're you paying attention?"_

_"Yeah." She tilted her head up looking at him playful accusing in her eyes. "No. It's a chick flick, I was almost asleep Sweets." He said._

_"Liar, I saw you tear up."_

_Reid looked appalled. "Me? Sweets you've got the wrong guy."_

_"No I really think I saw some tears." Aubrey said playfully matter-oh-fact. Reid flipped himself so he was straddling Aubrey to the bed hands posed at her sides._

_"Take it back or I'll be forced to tickle you mercilessly." Reid said smirking down at her._

_Aubrey shook her head. "No way, I saw tears..." She sing songed like a little kid mockingly. "The big bad Reid Garwin teared up at a..." She shrieked with laughter as his fingers moved in. _

_"Take it back." Reid taunted as his fingers moved dangerously close to the sides of her abdomen, he'd found that was her most ticklish spot, besides her neck. Aubrey was laughing so hard in between she'd gasp for air. _

_Reid paused momentarily looking at her and a smile appeared on his face as she breathed in large quantities of air. Aubrey looked up at him. "You should do that more often."_

_"What?" Reid asked confused._

_Aubrey smiled. "Smile, it looks good on you."_

_"I smile." Reid said jokingly offended._

_"Right..." She drawled. "Just like you didn't tear up...mmmhmm..." She teased. _

_Reid's smile turned devious. "That's it." And with that said his fingers attacked a second time, Aubrey cried out in joyous laughter as her hands frantically reached for his._

_End Flash back:_

_**...So did you zone out there for a second to? I've been zoning out a lot lately, it's hard not to think about you. Who would have thought Spencer's socially challenged provosts daughter would date the resident bad boy? Yeah me either.**_

Reid chuckled to himself at that part.

_**Anyway, well my roommates not so bad. Have I mentioned I go to school with all girls? Well I do. But my roommate she's sort of in the same situation as I am. Her parents sent her here thinking it would help her situation, maybe change her. What's her situation you ask? Well let me share. Val is a Lesbian. Her parents sent her here to keep her away from her girlfriend. When she first told me I almost died laughing. I mean her parents practically threw the kid in to the candy store in this scenario. But according to them, being around more feminine figures will straighten her right out. I highly doubt that's going to happen. **_

_**But Val's a pretty decent person, she's not completely stuck up like most of the girls here. She's on the lacrosse team, thinks I should join. Something about therapeutic for anger problems. I'm half way considering it, it might make my stay in this shit hole a little more pleasant. **_

_**Now on to something a little more serious, I want you to stop moping around and beating everybody up who comes within five feet of you. This isn't your fault. And I know what you're thinking so don't even try it, you can't get one passed me, not even when I'm writing in a letter Reid. See there's that smile again. **_

Full out laughter broke from Reid's lips. She really did know him better then anyone else. He'd thought that it was his fault and when she'd seemingly argued with him through a letter without having to be talking to him, a smile did come to his face.

_**I know what you're thinking and I'm just naturally perceptive. So get use to it. I've fallen in love with who you are Reid Garwin, so don't change just cause I'm gone. I've taken a little piece of you to keep here with me, and left a little piece of myself there for you to hold on to. Just keep in mind how much I love you. **_

_**All My Love,**_

_**Aubrey **_

Reid set the letter down on his nightstand as he spun ideas around in his head. "You look pensive?" Reid hadn't heard Tyler open the door and his friend walked in showered and clothed dropping his dirty laundry in the hamper and then his shower bag next this bed.

"Just thinking." Reid shrugged.

"About?" Tyler asked.

Reid didn't think it would hurt running his idea by Tyler. "I was thinking about getting Aubrey a cell phone, only I'd have the number then I could talk to her..."

"Man you can't send her a package this early, if anyone sends her a package this early it's going to look suspicious. I mean it's a good idea, but wait until it's closer to christmas time. There'll be a rush on mailing packages from students who aren't going home and they wont have time to bother checking things."

Reid grinned over at his best friend. "I knew I kept you around for a reason."

Tyler snorted. "Gee thanks." He said sarcastically reclining on his bed much like Reid was. "So anything interesting in the letter, if you don't mind me asking."

"Her roommates a lesbian in an all girls school." Reid chuckled. Tyler laughed at that too. Reid got up walking over to his desk and grabbed his notebook and went back over to his bed and started writing a reply.

Next Day:

With Tyler:

"Hey Kate." Tyler ran up next to her.

Kate smiled at him. "Oh hey Ty. What's up?"

He handed her an envelope. "Could you mail this off for me?"

Kate read the name and address. "Why Ty you can mail it yourself?" Tyler explained to her as best he could what the situation was and Kate nodded her head. "Well in that case, I think I can do that. Do you really think no one will catch on?" She asked skeptically.

Tyler sighed. "I don't know. I hope not. Yesterday was the first time I've heard Reid speak so much and laugh and make jokes since Aubrey left."

"You know Reid's not always my favorite person, but what Provost Higgins is doing isn't fair or right. So I'll help as best I can." Kate smiled.

Tyler smiled back. "Thanks Kate. I really appreciate this and I know Reid does too."

"No problem."

Brinley Academy

Westport Maine

A Week Later:

"Miss Higgins would you please enlighten us as to how Miss Calvin deduced the answer to the equation on the board." Aubrey was sitting at her desk, yes they had desk. No stadium seats just a flat level classroom with desks. Her cheek rested in her palm which was being held up by her elbow on the flat surface of her desk.

A memory from not so long ago played over in her head and she grinned. "Guessed." She said sarcastically.

The teacher Mrs. Apple, yes Apple like the fruit, sighed in irritation. "Miss Higgins please stay after class."

"Whatever you say dragon lady." She grumbled lowly to herself.

The minutes ticked by the class soon came to an end and Aubrey packed up her messenger bag and started to leave the class in with the herd of other students. "Miss Higgins, stop right there." Aubrey groaned and turned around walking through the last few students that were trying to leave the class. Once the room was empty Mrs. Apple turned to her and sighed. "You are such a smart girl, you do the work but you don't participate."

"You don't know anything about me." Aubrey said looking at her bitterly.

"I do know you're smart. You've gotten nothing but high marks on your assignments, why do you insist on being troublesome during class?" Mrs. Apple asked frustration evident in her words.

Aubrey scoffed. "I don't want to be here."

"Your father is an old friend of mine, he said you were such a good student. You're only hurting yourself by not participating. You do realize it's part of your grade, a quarter of it in fact. And while you do well on the assignments, decreased marks in participation will only bring your grade and gpa down a level."

Aubrey shrugged. "So what. I still get high marks on my assignments like you said and what does it matter if my gpa drops, maybe my _father_ will realize this is all his fault." She said snappishly.

Mrs Apple shook her head. "You seem to blame him for an awful lot."

"As I should. He always thinks he's doing whats best for everyone, when he's only doing things for himself!" Angry tears pooled in her eyes. "He let my mother die, because he didn't want to care for her anymore saying 'It's for the best.' And you know what he said to me when he told me I was coming here. 'It's for the best sweetheart, he's not good for you, he'll only bring you down.' I was better off with Reid!" She snapped. "My grades never dropped, but according to my father I'd spiraled out of control because I was going out with the class bad boy. He said Reid wasn't good for me, but he was wrong. He was only thinking of himself and what my dating Reid would mean in the rich society world we live in. So I'm going to prove him wrong, I'm going to prove to him that I was better off with Reid back in Ipswich!" Aubrey's voice had slowly risen from speaking to full out yelling before she stormed out of the classroom.

Aubrey walked furiously through the hallways of the school building, making her way back to her dorm since Pre-Cal was her last class of the day. She meant it when she said she was going to prove her father wrong, she would do that work, but her participation would falter and her attitude would change. If he wanted her to spiral out of control then that's what she was going to do. Maybe if she was lucky her father would realize he made a rather large mistake sending her there and would let her return home to Ipswich, to Spencer, and to Reid.

Maybe if her gpa dropped her father would also have to acknowledge the fact that she wouldn't be attending an Ivy League school like he had always wanted for her, of course she'd go to college she'd promised her mother that, but she wouldn't go to Yale or Harvard like her father had always dreamed. Served him right.

Reaching her dorm room Aubrey let herself in with her key dropping her book bag on her bed. "Bre?" Aubrey looked over at the small half bath bathroom door and saw it open and Val stick her head out. Val, short for Valerie, was 5'7'' with dirty short dirty blond hair that made her look edgy. Her brown eyes were stunning, her face petite much like the rest of her frame.

"Val I asked you not to call me that?" Aubrey said.

"Sorry, sorry. I know brings up memories of lover boy." Val teased her.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "He isn't my lover boy, we've never even..." She trailed off.

Val grinned. "No but you want to don't you?" She asked her.

Aubrey flushed bright red and fell face first on to her bed. "Not like it's going to happen now." She said after turning her head to the side her right side of her face laying flat on her pillow. "He hasn't written back, probably doesn't want to be with me anymore when he could potentially have any girl he wants."

"You're hot, how could he want someone else? I mean you're not my type, no offense or anything, but you've got it all."

Aubrey laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should. And you're wrong about the letter thing, here." Val walked over holding a letter in front of her face. No return address, addressed to her the date stamp read Ipswich, MA. Aubrey snatched the letter from her hand rolling over quickly so she was laying on her back. "Jesus Piranha are gentler then you." She teased.

Aubrey looked over at her and made a face. Val just laughed and went over to her bed. She flopped down and opened a car magazine. "Your mom know you subscribe to that?" Aubrey asked jokingly.

Val looked over at her. "Your dad know your sending secret love letters to your boy toy?"

"Touche." Aubrey chuckled and then turned her attention back to the envelope in her hand. She turned it over gently breaking the seal before slipping the neatly folded piece of notebook paper from inside. She unfolded the single sheet seeing the scratch writing on it brought a smile to her face.

_**Sweets,**_

_**I'm no good with words so I'll start with...you're right saying I miss you isn't enough. I've never felt so lost in my entire life, then that day I saw you taken away. And I know you say it's not my fault, but I feel like it is. Like if you'd have never gotten involved with me this wouldn't be happening. **_

_**But I live for that gorgeous smile and that sweet laugh, those eyes and lips. So I can't stay mad at myself for falling for you, because you made my life so much better. You've given me something no one else has. A reason to keep breathing. Before you there were days I just wanted to not exist anymore. And now that there's you and me all I want is to hold you close and never let you go. **_

_**And I can't promise things will be ok, because I don't know that. I do know how much I love you hasn't change since that first time I told you...**_

_Flash back:_

_Aubrey was sitting in French class when her cell phone vibrated in her blazer pocket. She noticed her teacher's back turned and pulled the phone out quietly flipping it open to see she had a new text message from Reid. 'Meet me after school the cliffs. -R-' Aubrey closed the phone and slipped it back in her pocket._

_After school Aubrey started out of the school. "Aubrey?" She grimaced before turning around with a fake smile._

_"Hi dad."_

_"Where are you off to?" Robert asked his daughter._

_Aubrey shook her head casually. "No where, just in to town to grab some food before I head home."_

_Robert nodded and smiled at her. "Alright, well don't be out late."_

_Aubrey smiled back and turned around to go the smile falling from her face as her lips began to mimic him mockingly, silently to herself. Rolling her eyes she made her way out to her white 2004 Mazda RX8, it had previously belonged to her mother but was now in her possession and she treated it like a child._

_After getting in and putting the car in gear Aubrey drove off to the cliffs to meet Reid..._

_"Bout time you should up!" Reid teased as he jumped casually out of the drivers side of the Hummer. Tyler's hummer, that he'd just gotten for his birthday that summer._

_Aubrey perched herself on the hood of her car looking at him curiously. "Why am I here?" She asked with a grin._

_Reid stood in front of her his hands moving up to rest on her hips and her fingers looped through his front belt loops as she stood up completely off the hood of her car. As his head started moving down Aubrey tiptoed up slightly to meet him halfway as their lips connected in a tender kiss._

_Soon enough the kiss turned into a full frantic make-out as Reid laid her back on the hood of her car his right hand moved down to her thigh, lifting her skirt ever so slightly as the bare tips of his fingers grazed her skin._

_Aubrey broke away. "Reid."_

_Reid quickly moved his hand back up. "Sorry." He said guiltily._

_A giggled passed her kiss swollen lips. "No it's not that, this is just very uncomfortable." She said giggling again._

_Reid evaluated the situation he'd put her in and smirked to himself and shook his head. "Sorry." He murmured taking her left hand away from his belt loop since her other hand moved up to cradle the side of his neck. He pulled her upright and looked down at her. "You cold?"_

_Aubrey looked confused and curious at his question. "Yeah." She said having taken her blazer off and loosened her school tie. Reid smirked. "Good come on." He pulled her towards the hummer, opening the back door._

_"If you think..." Aubrey started sternly._

_Reid looked at her. "I don't. I just figure Ty's truck needs to get a little action. I mean..." He started grinning._

_"You know one of these days when you walk in on him, your going to eat your own words." Aubrey teased climbing in to the backseat. Reid followed shutting the door._

_"And when or better if that day comes I'll apologize." Reid said jokingly. Aubrey watched as he leaned forward over the center console and stuck the keys in the ignition, turning it ever so slightly and then turned the heat on. He moved so he was all the way sitting down in the back seat after hitting the door locks._

_"Nows when you force yourself on the unsuspecting innocent girl and then slit her throat." Aubrey joked. Reid raised his eyebrow at her. "What? It's classic horror movie knowledge." She said with a grin._

_Reid smirked. "You watch horror movies?"_

_"Something new you didn't know about me. Yes I love horror movies." Aubrey confirmed with a genuine smile. Without a word Reid leaned forward gently placing his fingerless gloved hand on the back of her neck drawing her in for a slow tongue tasting kiss. _

_When oxygen became a problem Reid broke away from her lips moving down to her neck as Aubrey shifted so that she sat straddling his lap, her hands finding their way into the soft blond shaggy mop atop his head. Reid kissed up her neck gently nipping the lobe of her ear making her moan softly. "I love you." He whispered in her ear._

_Aubrey paused pulling back enough to see his face. "What?" She asked stunned._

_"I said..." Reid looked anywhere but at her for a moment before letting his gaze fall back on her eyes. "I said I love you. I've never felt this before." He said taking in her reaction._

_A smile slowly spread on her face as her hands left his hair her fingertips gently grazing down either side of his face. "I love you too." Aubrey leaned forwards pressing her lips to his sweetly._

_End Flash Back_

_**...No matter how far away you are I'm still here. **_

_**Now on to less sappy shit.**_

Aubrey giggled, he wasn't big on the sappy stuff.

_**...Tyler's got me trying out for the swim team next week, apparently Caleb and Pogue think it'll be good for all of us to do an activity together. I think Caleb's just trying to keep an eye on us. You said your roomy thought you should try out for the lacrosse team, I think you should. Make the most of your time there. Who knows maybe you'll enjoy it. I know I will, picturing you in the girls locker room...yes I'm a pervert you know that long before you dated me. **_

Aubrey laughed and shook her head. "Such a pervert." She thought out loud.

_**By the way tell your roommate you're off limits, I don't need a girl showing my girl what she's missing out on being with a guy. Don't laugh it could happen, I've seen it in movies. Anyways that aside I've come up with a plan, but I don't want to share it just yet, since I won't be able to do anything about it right now. Just trust me. **_

_**I just want you to know that I love you no matter where you are. Hope you keep thinking about me cause I'll never stop thinking about you. And no matter what your father does, this isn't over between us.**_

_**Always,**_

_**Reid**_

Aubrey sighed as she folded the letter back up and set it on her nightstand. "God I miss him." She said softly to the ceiling above her.

"Are you going to mope some more?" Val asked sardonically. "Cause seriously you're no fun."

Aubrey laughed. "I've never been a fun kind of girl." She told her roommate and then smiled. "Reid's the only fun thing in my life and now I don't even have that."

"Well you've got me and I'm loads of fun." Val said smiling at her. "Come on, let's go off campus for a while."

"I can't. Dad's got me red flagged with the headmistress."Aubrey said bitterly.

Val grinned. "Are you feeling bloated with water weight? Having cramps that kill? Do you need some midol?" Aubrey laughed. "They can't stop you from going to get personal effects in town. Come on I'll get my friend Stacia to drive us."

Aubrey smiled and nodded. "Just let me change first."

"Ya, that uniform does nothing for your figure."

"Reid says I'm off limits to you."

"Does he now?" Val smirked. "Well I bet he's already having fantasies."

Aubrey nodded and laughed. "You'd bet right, Reid's a pervert."

"Sounds like a real charmer." Val joked.

"Actually, he is. I'm just waiting for him to truly realize he can have an girl that's prettier then me and more to his liking and just forget I exist." Aubrey said lightly.

Val frowned. "We already went over this Aubrey. You are hot! You said he loves you I don't think that's going to change any time soon. So stop already." She insisted shoving Aubrey towards her closet.

Aubrey grinned and went about changing.

AN: OK so I got so many reviews for the first chapter I decided to keep it going, I hope the reviews keep coming in, it's really nice to hear that I might be doing something right with this one since it's so different.

So I know some of you can't believe I wrote Reid as a sap, but trust me his bad boy image isn't gone, it's just altered where Aubrey's envolved, she makes him a different person, but he's still Reid.

Anyways hope you liked it, I add a pic of Val to my page as well as a pic of Aubrey's car from the flashback and her car throughout the story. Let me know what you think thus far!


	3. For A Merry Christmas

Chapter 3: For A Merry Christmas...

"You are such a fucking pervert." Pogue chuckled.

Reid grinned collecting his winnings. "What? My girlfriend knows I'm a pervert, she's ok with it."

"I bet. So how is Aubrey?" Pogue asked as Reid racked the balls on the pool table once again.

"Different." Reid said after sticking the rack to the side and pointing at Pogue to break. Tyler was off playing foosball with Caleb.

Pogue lined up to break and after doing so stood straight eying the table for any billiard balls that might go in to the pockets. "How so man?"

"Looks different, that's all. Not that I'm complaining she looks fucking hot as hell, but she was gorgeous before." Reid said nonchalantly.

Pogue looked at his friend. "Man how do you know what she looks like now?"

Reid pulled his wallet from his back pocket, it was attached to a chain that was hooked on to his side belt loop. He flipped it open and slipped something out holding it up to Pogue. "She sent me this with her last letter. Said Val got a hold of her." Reid laughed slightly before taking the picture back and slipping it back in to his wallet.

"You better hope Higgins doesn't start mandatory dorm checks." Pogue said shaking his head.

"He's got no reason to. Fucking Higgins has already taken this too far. You know he wouldn't even let her come home for Thanksgiving. Yeah he went there and they went out to dinner at a diner in town. Aubrey was a fucking wreck when she wrote me about that."

"Why?" Pogue questioned as Reid moved in to take a shot.

Reid sighed. "Thanksgiving was her mother's favorite holiday. They'd cook dinner together." He explained lightly.

Pogue nodded. "I can see how that would upset someone."

"It's getting closer to Christmas though." Reid said a grin plastered on his face within seconds.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Pogue questioned.

Reid smirked. "I'm going to buy her cell phone that she can call me with."

"You've really got it bad for her don't you?" Pogue asked.

"Man she just..." Reid trailed off trying to think of how to explain it.

"Gets you?" Pogue asked. Reid nodded. "Yeah, Kate and I we fight, but it's all on the surface."

Reid sighed. "I just wish this wasn't so fucking difficult."

"It'll get better man. It has too. Higgins can't stop her from seeing you once she's eighteen, not to mention I heard she's going to come in to a lot of money on her eighteenth birthday, I overheard the secretaries in the office talking about how Higgins thinks Aubrey's going to use the money to keep him out of her life." Pogue said.

"She will, no doubt about it. She blames him for her mothers death and he just made it worse by sending her to Brinley and treating her like a captive." Reid said. "He deserves to lose his daughters, he's an egotistical son of a bitch who doesn't understand that..." Reid started to rant.

Pogue stepped in. "Yeah man I know, you've said it before. We all know."

Reid nodded. "Yeah...yeah I know. I just...I hate him. That's all there is to say."

"Hey guys." Tyler and Caleb had made their way over to the pool tables and were holding sodas for their friends. "Reid beat you again Pogue?" Tyler asked.

Pogue looked back at the table and saw that Reid had cleared it without even paying it that much attention. "Fucking A. I know your good but when the fuck did you get that good?" Pogue asked.

Reid grinned at the memory. "Aubrey."

"Here we go..." The other three groaned jokingly.

Reid glared at them. "Shut up."

Brinley Academy:

Same Night:

Aubrey lay on her dorm bed reading over a cosmopolitan magazine she'd picked up her last trip in to town. While Val was in the bathroom readying herself for a night out. "So you coming or what?" Val asked casually applying liner on her lower lid.

"Nah I think I'll stay in. I've got kitchen duty early in the morning."

"Fuck that sucks. What'd you do?" Val questioned.

Aubrey scoffed. "My father spoke to the headmistress, says it'll be good for me, get my mind off things. Ha I'm going to be serving meatballs and spaghetti tomorrow night, do you know how many lewd comments Reid's made about spaghetti and meatballs before." She joked.

"I can only imagine." Val said loudly from the bathroom. "Speaking of have you heard from lover boy recently?"

"You must get your dose of drama from hearing about Reid and I?" Aubrey kidded.

Val laughed. "Well ya that and my girlfriend thinks you guys are like some epic love story waiting to happen."

Aubrey giggled. "Well how is Kat?"

"Asked you first."

"Ok fine, yes I've heard from him, nothing new to report except he keeps saying he's got a big surprise for me for the holiday." Aubrey told her. Laying on her stomach her feet angled up in to the air were kicking back and forth.

"Cryptic, what do you think it is?" Val asked.

Aubrey shrugged mostly to herself since Val wasn't looking back at her. "Not sure. So Kat?"

"She's good. She says she's almost got enough money saved up to come see me for Christmas." Val told her, Aubrey could hear the happiness in her voice. She often took on the same tone when talking about Reid. "Her parents aren't against the whole lesbian thing, but they just can't afford stuff."

"Well she's close right that's all that matters." Aubrey said.

"That and sneaking her in to the dorms." Val finished in the bathroom and turned flicking the light off walking over to her bed, she perched on the corner elbows on knees back hunched looking at Aubrey.

"No, I will not be present while you two fondle each other." Aubrey laughed rolling her eyes.

Val pouted. "Aubs please let her stay here. I promise we'll be good." She said putting her hands together like she was praying.

Aubrey sighed. "Even if I say yes, which I haven't, but if I say yes how are you going to get her in here. There's guards on every door into the dorms, not to mention the ones that patrol. This place is locked up tighter then fort Knox you know that."

"Well we'll worry about that when the time comes, right now I just need to know that it's ok. She wont have the money for a hotel..." She was giving Aubrey puppy dog eyes and Aubrey grunted at the thought that she just couldn't say no.

"Fine. Ok, but one sound of hinkiness from you two and it's over." Aubrey said looking at her sternly. A grin spread on Val's face. "I mean it Val. I am all for gay rights and whatever but I do not need to hear my roommate and her girlfriend playing find the nub under the blankets...oh my god I sound like Reid." She said and started laughing.

Val laughed too. "That sounds like fun, find the nub. Well now that you've planted the idea..."

Aubrey glared at her playfully. "Val."

"What you said it first, now my mind is taking all kinds of joyous detours." She said wiggling her eyebrows. She stood from the bed grabbing her jacket from her desk chair and slipping it on. "Ok I'm off. Don't stay up to late, you've got kitchen duty in the morning."

"Fuck you." Aubrey said jokingly as she threw her pillow at her roommate. "You coming back tonight?"

"Nah I'm not gonna get busted by rent-a-cops when I don't come back by curfew. I'll just crash at Stacia's parents house with her. So I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yea night."

"Night." And with that Val was gone.

First Week of December:

Boston:

"Well what would you get for yourself?" Tyler asked logically.

Reid shrugged. "I have a sidekick, why don't I just get her one of those, it has Internet capabilities."

They walked around the different displays of cell phones till they came across the right one just as a salesperson came to speak to them. "Anything I can help you gentlemen find?" The young woman asked.

"Actually we already found it." Reid said. "I need one of these and I want to add it to my plan."

"Your parents will need to authorize that kind of change to the account." The woman said giving him apologetic smile.

Reid shook his head. "Actually my parents put me on my own account I can authorize anything I want." He told her. "You can check if you'd like."

The girl smiled. "Well in that case lets get you set up shall we." After getting the phone activated and added to his account Reid headed out back into the Mall with Tyler.

"We've got one more stop and then back to Ipswich." Reid told Tyler.

Tyler looked at him questioningly. "What?"

"I found this design online, and I'm going to have it jeweled on to the phone." Reid said.

Tyler raised his brow confused at his best friends actions. "I'm sorry, you said you're having it jeweled on the phone? Who are you?" He said jokingly.

Reid chuckled. "Aubrey's cell phone was jeweled and she liked it that way, so I figure why not do it with this one."

"Ok, seriously who are you and what have you done with the real Reid Garwin cause you're starting to freak me out. Reid Garwin doesn't usually know what girls like, especially when it comes to accessories and further..."

"Ok, ok I admit it's going a little bit over the top, but it's going to make her happy." Reid said shoving Tyler jokingly.

The reached the shop in the mall that Reid was looking for and went inside. (AN: Ok this is probably most likely not true, so don't hold it against me) Reid and Tyler made their way up to the front register and the girl behind the cash register smiled at them. "Hi how can I help you?"

Reid pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open pulling up a saved picture and showed her. "I want to have this done on a phone, purples and blues with a different name, think you can do it?"

The girl nodded. "Sure. What kind of phone?" Reid set the bag on the counter and she pulled the box out. "It's going to be pretty spendy."

Reid shook his head. "Don't care."

The girl, her name tag read Beth, nodded. "Sure it'll take some time to do as well. Probably about two weeks if we rush it. Do you need it back by a specific date?" She asked as she made a little sketch on paper of what Reid wanted.

"I needed it back at least five days prior to Christmas."

"What's the name?"

"Sweets." Reid told her. Beth lifted her head and smiled.

"I'll go out on a limb and say it's for your girlfriend." She said kindly.

Tyler chuckled. "Yeah who he happens to be head over heels in love with." Reid shoved Tyler and glared at him.

"Shut up."

Beth smiled. "If you ask me it's rather sweet." She said and then showed him the drawing that she did free hand on a blank sheet of paper. "Will this work?"

"Yes. Would you do her name in a light green?" Reid asked.

Beth nodded. "Sure. Anything you want. We wont have the exact amount for you right now cause we don't know how many crystals it'll take, but we'll call you and let you know when it can be picked up. Your girlfriends a lucky girl."

Reid grinned. "Actually I'm the lucky one. Her father hates me enough to send her to another boarding school in Maine and she still wants to talk to me."

Beth laughed and shook her head. "Fathers just don't know their daughters. Ok well all I need is for you to write down your information and that's it, we'll have to keep the phone though."

"No problem." Reid said jotting down his information on the sheet she'd shoved towards him on the counter. "Anything else?"

Beth shook her head. "Nope that should do it." Reid thanked her and he and Tyler left the store leaving behind Aubrey's cell phone.

"Anything else?" Tyler asked his friend.

Reid looked to the store they passed with a grin. "Well..."

Tyler looked to and shook his head. "No. I'm not letting you buy Aubrey lingerie for Christmas you oaf. Do you want her to dump your ass?""

"She wouldn't dump me." Tyler gave him a look. "Ok she might dump me." Reid relented as they walked passed the store completely.

"What do you think she's getting you for Christmas?" Tyler asked.

"Told her not to get me anything." Reid replied stoically as they made their way to leave the mall.

"Why?" Tyler asked. "She's a girl you know she's going to get you something."

"No she wont." Reid shook his head.

"Will." Tyler argued mockingly.

"Wont."

"Will."

"Wont."

Brinley Academy:

Aubrey was in the locker rooms cleaning herself up after working out with Val and she caught her roommate looking at her. "What?" She asked.

Val shrugged. "It's just...you're so...so pure."

"Excuse me." Aubrey laughed softly turning back to her gym locker.

Val nodded. "Yeah I mean, you don't have any piercings, no tattoos, and you're a virgin. Your so pure how'd you fall for a bad boy."

"He would say it's just cause he's that good, but Reid's sweet underneath his attitude. I mean he's loyal to a fault he'd do just about anything for his friends, and that's really attractive. Not to mention the good girls always fall for the bad boys that they can't bring home to dad." She said laughing again.

Val chuckled. "I guess. But it's just interesting is all."

"Trust me I think that at least once a day." Aubrey joked back.

"So what are you getting him for Christmas?" Val asked her roommate.

Aubrey slipped on her shirt and closed her locker. "He said not to get him anything."

"And you decided not to? Doesn't he have some sort of surprise for you?" Val questioned.

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah. That's why I've been wracking my brain for ideas. But there's nothing I can think of short of..." She paused a blush on her cheeks and Val grinned. "Yeah that, that Reid would really want."

"Well what does he like?" Val asked.

"Pool, women and tattoos. Basically your typical guy." Aubrey informed her.

"In that order?" Val asked jokingly as they started out of the locker room.

Aubrey shrugged. "Probably more like women, pool then tattoos." She said nonchalantly.

Val snapped her fingers and skipped forward quickly turning around so she was walking backwards to face Aubrey. "I've got it. What if you _his_ woman got a tattoo on _your_ body?"

"I'm not tattooing his name on my ass Val." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"No I mean just a tattoo, something for him to look at you know. And then we'll take a couple of pictures and send them to him. Sexy pictures."

"I don't know how to be sexy, you've already got me to put a few purple highlights in my hair and I still haven't gotten Reid to tell me what he thinks of those." Aubrey said skeptically.

"I'm sure he thinks they're hot, come on I've got blue tips because it's the only way you'd do it. I'll get a tattoo if you do?" Aubrey seemed to contemplate this deal. "I see the wheels turning." Val teased.

Aubrey bit her lip out of habit and then nodded. "Ok, fine but I am not tattooing his name anywhere on me. That is just bad luck. Every time a girl tattoos her boyfriends name on them they break up."

"Yay." Val said enthusiastically moving back so she was walking next to Aubrey, their arms linked together. "I've got the perfect idea for you."

"Why do I have a feeling I'm going to regret this?" Aubrey asked softly hanging her head and shaking it. "Well you can show me that perfect idea later, I have a meeting with the headmistress."

"Bummer. I'll see you back at our dorm?" Val said unlinking their arms and moving to go down another hall.

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah. Later." Val was soon out of sight and Aubrey made her way down to the main office. Once she was inside she walked up to the secretary. "Hey Gretchen, I'm here for my appointment."

"Very well Aubrey go on in she's waiting for you." Aubrey nodded her head and made her way in to the Headmistresses office.

"Headmistress McCain." Aubrey said taking her seat unenthusiastically.

"Miss Higgins, I suspect you know why your here?" The headmistress turned around in her chair to face Aubrey. She was a petite woman, red hair brown eyes, aging skin. She was average and tried to be somewhat frightening but Aubrey had grown up with a Provost for a father, she knew all the tricks to persuading students in to doing things so her tactics rarely worked.

"Can't say that I do." Aubrey rolled her eyes.

"Well I'll enlighten you then. It's come to my attention that you were off school grounds for an entire night two nights ago."

Aubrey snorted. "So?"

"Aubrey you have been walking a very thin line these last few months. Your teachers have made multiple complaints as to your behavior in their classes not to mention other girls have informed me that you have verbally harassed them."

"It's not my fault they can't retaliate in a verbal match. And they started it all I did was finish it."

"I brought you here as a favor to your father, but you are walking a very thin rope my dear. You need to shape up. I'll give you until the end of this school year before I make my decision on whether or not to let you remain a student here."

Aubrey nodded. "Fine." She said standing. "You do that." As she walked out the door a large Cheshire grin appeared on her face. If only the headmistress knew that Aubrey really didn't care about that thin line.

As she got back to her dorm room she saw Val drawn furiously in her notebook. "Ah good your back." Val said sitting up. She held out the notebook to Aubrey. "What do you think?"

Aubrey saw the delicate flower design. The flower was a shade of pink and the lines around it were white accented by dark shading. "Wow, this is awesome Val. It's perfect."

"I know." Val said excitedly.

Aubrey looked at the flower some more. "This was my moms favorite flower."

"Oh I, I'm sorry I'll put another kind if you..."

"No, don't change it. I love it."

1 Week Later:

"Oh my god I can't believe you got me dressed in this." Aubrey said looking at herself in the mirror. Val walked over and looked over her shoulder into the full length mirror as well.

"You look hot." She said. "I'm sure Reid will love this."

"I look like...I can't even describe this." Aubrey said tilting her head back and forth eying herself up and down in the mirror. Bare feet, bare legs, pink and black pleated plaid mini skirt slung low on her waist, black v-neck vest and pink bra peeking out of the vest. Hair straight but looking thoroughly run through, lips glossed and pouty, eyes decked out in black liner and mascara with a light gray tint on her eye lids.

"You look like a fuck-able fantasy." Val said bluntly. "Reid will appreciate it."

Aubrey bit her lip nervously. "I don't know how to be sexy Val. This could all just turn out sucky."

"Trust me, I'm the queen of sexy. Besides your showing enough to keep him interested and covering enough to come off a bit modest." Val told her, adjusting the skirt to a little lower on her hips. The tattoo standing out in great contrast to her light skin.

Aubrey sighed and nodded. "Ok. Fine what do I do?"

Val grinned and moved her over to the door first. "Lean back, arch your back just a little so only your shoulders touch the door, maybe trail your right foot simply up your calf angling your right knee inward, and bring your arms up so that they are above your head resting on the door." Aubrey did as instructed.

"Like this?" She asked.

Val nodded. "Perfect, you know for a girl who doesn't know how to be sexy, you pull it off well."

"Just take the picture Val." Aubrey said.

"Don't smile, pout almost but add just a hint of mischievousness." Aubrey did so and Val lifted her camera to her eye and snapped a couple shots with the flash going off each time. "Ok, now..." She grabbed Aubrey's arm and walked her over to her made bed. "Lay down on your left side, hold your head up, elongate the neck a bit, good...no shift your legs just a little so each is angled but not exactly the same. Perfect."

"What about my free arm?" Aubrey asked.

"Form it with your right side, maybe even grab the hem of the skirt also." And that's what Aubrey did while Val took shots. "Ok one more pose and we should have enough to decide what to send him."

Aubrey nodded.

Three Days Later:

"Ok, that one and...that one, no that one...no that one...Ah shit I don't know." Val said pointing to the pictures on the screen. They'd uploaded their pictures to the digital photo booth at the drug store in town.

Aubrey point to two of the photos. "Definitely these two, and that one." She said pointing to a third.

"Perfect couldn't agree more. Now I'm gonna set these up for the one hour photo, which wont even take that long and you go find a card to send them in. And I'll throw in a few of the pictures from the day you got the tat."

"Cool, I'll be over by the cards." Aubrey told her with a smile and walked away.

Couple Days Before Christmas:

Spencer Academy:

"Did Kate get that package sent off ok?" Reid asked Tyler as they sat in their dorm room with nothing to do. Christmas break meant that lots of the students had gone home for the holidays but there was still a good majority that chose to stay there.

"Yes for the hundredth time she sent it off two days ago. Would you please relax, I think you made the instructions very clear and Aubrey will Call you when she gets it, will you please shut up about now."

Reid sighed. "You're right Ty. I'm just..."

"Go get the mail, it'll get you out of the room and keep me from strangling you." Tyler said irritably.

"Fine." Reid grunted getting up from the bed with his room key and cell phone and walked out. As he made his way to the office to get their mail he couldn't help checking his cell phone every few moments. As he walked in to the office he went straight for their box grabbing out the mail and started back to his and Tyler's room.

He thumb through the mail as he walked coming across an envelope addressed to Tyler with no return address, from Maine. He grinned and walked quicker to his room to open it.

"Guess what came baby boy?" Reid said walking in to the room. Tyler looked up from his magazine and raised a brow.

"What?"

"A letter from Aubrey." He grinned tossing the rest of mail on Tyler stomach as he flopped down on his bed opening the envelope. He pulled the card that was inside out and opened it, a smaller envelope dropped on to his chest. "Merry Christmas." Reid read allowed and set the card aside taking the other envelope and pulling the unsealed flap open. He pulled out the contents and found pictures. He went through each, each time growing more surprised. Pictures of Aubrey sitting in a chair, being tattooed, pictures of the finished tattoo that day and then a few rather racy photos of her in a pink plaid mini looking really good showing off said tattoo. "Holy fuck!" Reid cursed sitting up finally grasping the entire situation.

Tyler groaned sitting up and setting his magazine aside. "What did she dump your ass?" He asked rubbing his face.

Tyler looked at Reid and saw his heated stare and put his hands up in surrender. "No, she didn't dump me ass wipe. She got a fucking tattoo, see." He handed him one of the photos from the tattoo parlor as he finished looking at the others. A photo of her and who he assumed to be her roommate joined at the hip showing off their new tattoos, with silly faces. Aubrey's tattoo was on her right hip, slowly dipping down to her groin muscles, and Val's was on her left hip moving down in the same fashion, but Val's were simply drizzled stars.

"Why would she get a tattoo?" Tyler asked.

Reid grinned looking at the racier photos of his girlfriend appreciatively. "She knows I think their fucking sexy as hell." He told him. Tyler handed him back to photo.

"At least she didn't tattoo your name on her ass." He joked.

Reid chuckled. "Yeah."

"So what are the other photos of?" Tyler asked.

"Sorry baby boy, those are only for my eyes." Reid smirked.

Tyler eyes grew big. "She sent you nude photos." He asked stunned.

Reid chuckled shaking his head. "No. She's got clothes on, but they're really for me only." He told his friend grinning.

Brinley Academy

Next Day:

Aubrey walked through the halls having just gotten out of the shower and was walking back to her room. When she entered she saw Val laying on her bed with Kat they were talking and giggling.

_Flash back:_

_"Aubs please distract the guard." Val pleaded._

_Aubrey groaned. "How? You want me to show him my boobs and tell him older men make me hot. He's under strict orders Val."_

_"I know, I know. Tell him you dropped your deceased grandmothers ring in the flower bed and you need his help looking for it."_

_"Why is it not surprising that you came up with that idea?" Aubrey sighed and started for the entrance that her and Val normally used to get to their dorm. The camera's were being worked on luckily and were turned off for the time being so that was one thing less they had to worry about._

_As Aubrey approached the guard she put on her best smile and stepped right up to him. "May I help you miss?" He asked stoically._

_"Yes you may. I, um, well I feel kind of foolish I mean my father told me not to wear it when it didn't fit right to begin with, but I did and..."_

_"Miss?" The guard asked irritated._

_"Well you see I dropped my grandmothers ring, it's a family heirloom and I can't seem to find it, maybe four eyes will be better the two?" She asked sweetly._

_The guard nodded and walked with Aubrey towards the flower garden. "Where'd you drop it?" He asked._

_"Somewhere in this general area." She said kindly. He nodded and they both got down on hands and knees and started looking for a ring that wasn't there. Aubrey looked over her shoulder and saw Val holding Kat by the hand and pulling her along the path to the door._

_"It might help if I knew what it looked like." The guard sat up and back on his heels turning his head slightly._

_Aubrey didn't want him to catch a glimpse of the girls behind him so she pointed frantically in front of them. "There I thought I saw a sparkle." She lied and the guard kneeled over with her. "Oh no, that's not it." She said stupidly._

_"Miss you might have better luck if you ask the janitor to come look with his metal detector?" Aubrey glanced quickly behind her and saw the door shutting._

_She nodded. "You're right, you are absolutely right. I, uh, I will do that. Thank you though."_

_"You're welcome. It's starting to get dark you should head inside." _

_"I will. Goodnight."_

_"Goodnight Miss." And with that Aubrey went in to the building and the guard went back to his post._

_End flash back_

"And what were you two doing while I was gone?" Aubrey joked.

Val and Kat looked over at her and smiled. "Nothing you want to know about." Val said grinning at her.

Aubrey laughed. "Oh gross, you're right I don't."

"A package came for you." Kat said as she kissed Val's neck.

"Oh right." Val said having just remembered. "It's on your desk." Aubrey went in to their bathroom and quickly changed into comfortable worn boot-cut jeans, and a black t-shirt that had white lettering spelling out 'Eternity' and a picture of a geisha girl on the front. She slipped on her charcoal gray mid-thigh length knitted sweater and toweled her hair dry. After brushing it out she pulled it up in to a pony tail and walked out of the bathroom.

Aubrey made her way over to her desk and grabbed the package before going over to her bed and sitting down with it. She looked around for an object to cut the tape with and snatched up her room keys on the end of her bed. She then proceeded to cut the tape and pulled the box open.

Inside was another box. Aubrey examined it closely and smiled brightly snatching it out of the box and quickly opening it as well. "God I love him." She said happily as she got the second box opened and pulled out it's main contents. She looked the phone over and couldn't help it. "Awe." She cooed.

"What is it?" Val asked ceasing kissing her girlfriend. Aubrey held up the new cell phone so that Val and Kat could see the back.

"Sweets?" Kat asked confused.

"It's Reid's nickname for me. He got me a phone so that we could talk." She said excitedly. Then she noticed the sticky not on the screen. "For a Merry Christmas just hit send and Call me! Love Reid." Aubrey read allowed.

"Awe." Kat said and then slapped Val's arm. "Why don't you do that shit?"

"Aubs your boyfriends making me look bad." Val joked.

Aubrey laughed and looked over at them as she took the sticky note off and reread it. "I haven't talk to him in so long." She said softly.

"How about me and Val go in to the bathroom and you call?" Kat suggested grinning at her girlfriend.

Kat was a beautiful girl with long dark hair, and tan skin. Her deep blue eyes and soft lips just made her that much more stunning. Val nodded in agreement getting up from the bed with Kat. "Yeah and um, don't uh worry, take all the time you need."

Aubrey laughed. "Ok just keep the noise down. I don't need the girls next door calling the guards about erotic noises."

"Oh we'll be quiet." Kat grinned pushing Val into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. Aubrey heard and loud thump and shook her head.

"Quiet my ass." She muttered with a grin. She turned the cell phone in her hand on and made her way over the window seat of their room. Taking a seat she rest her temple against the cold glass as she watched the white snow fall from the darkened sky. And Aubrey looked at the phone to find Reid had saved a picture he'd taken of the two of them with his own phone as the back ground. Smiling to herself she hit send.

After three rings there was an answer. "Hello?"

"Ty?"

"Hey Aubrey." Tyler said and she could hear a smile in his words. "Uh Reid's at the showers, I'm surprised he didn't take his cell he's done nothing but stare at it since the package was sent off."

Aubrey laughed softly. "I bet. So um thank you. I wish I could say it person but..."

"Look, you make Reid happy and we all agree what your father did wasn't right."

"Yeah..." Before she could continue Tyler started talking but not to her.

"Oh hey man guess who finally call..." He was cut off as well.

"Sweets?"

Tears gathered in seconds and started falling down her cheeks. "Hey." She sniffled.

"No don't cry. Sweets please don't cry."

Aubrey giggled through her tears and wiped at her eyes with the hand that wasn't holding the cell phone firmly to her ear. "Happy tears I swear. It's just I haven't heard your voice in so long. It's nice to hear you."

"The feelings mutual Sweets. So do you like my present? It's the whole package, so you don't have to worry about text message charges or anything. It's got Internet access so you can email me whenever you want to and IM so you and I can talk even if we aren't on the phone. Basically any way you need to get a hold of me short of finding a way to runaway that phone has it."

Aubrey smiled and took and released a deep calming breath. "It's wonderful. I absolutely love the crystal design, it must've cost a fortune though."

"Don't even worry about it Sweets. Cost is nothing." Reid told her.

"Thank you so much." Aubrey said appreciatively. "Did you get my gift?" She asked a small blush on her cheeks as her free hand was now picking at a loose strand on her sweater hem.

"I did." That husky devilish voice, she could picture the grin on his face. Oh how she'd missed that. "I like it, a lot."

"Really?" Aubrey asked.

"Definitely, its so sexy baby. I can't wait to see it in person and just run my fingers over it."

Aubrey sighed blissfully picturing his fingertips tracing her tattoo. Even a daydream made her feel hot and bothered. "I can't wait for that too." She sighed softly.

"Picturing naughty things are we Miss Higgins?" He teased seductively.

Aubrey wanted to deny it she really did but part of her just wanted to be truthful with him. "You have no idea." She said chewing her bottom lip, something Reid had once told her was really sexy. She heard hushed giggling in the bathroom and groaned.

"What?"

"Val and her girlfriend are getting dirty in the bathroom." She told him honestly.

"I thought Val's parents sent her away from her girlfriend?" Reid questioned.

Aubrey nodded mostly to herself. "They did, but Kat saved up the money and flew here, then we snuck her in the dorms a few days ago and she's been staying with us. I try to get out of the room as much as possible so they can be alone. But apparently they didn't get enough alone time today." She kidded. "So how have you been I want to hear everything!" Aubrey said quickly changing the subject.

AN: So there you have the third chapter. Glad you all are enjoying! Like I've said before Reviews are great inspiration for me to keep going, so as long as they keep coming I will keep writing. Let me know any thoughts or feelings. Also I know some are word about my There's A Hole story, but I will finish it, I'm currently at a block on how I'd like to end it, so it may take some time, but it will get finished I promise. Hope this chapter was plenty for my readers! Let me know!


	4. What's it Called? Sexual Tension?

Chapter 4: What's it Called? Sexual Tension?

Aubrey sat up straight in bed when a shrill ringing interrupted her sleep. She looked over at the other bed and saw Val sitting with her back against the head board one leg stretch completely straight and the other bent at the knee reading yet another of her car magazines. "How long was I out?" She asked with a yawn.

Val looked over at her briefly. "Well classes ended at two thirty, so I'd say about four hours." She said looking over at the clock.

Looking over at her nightstand Aubrey saw the screen on her phone was lit up, indicating that she'd just missed a call and that had been the ringing that had woken her in the first place. "Why didn't you answer it?" Aubrey said grabbing the phone.

"Well..." Val started guilty with a slight grin on her lips.

Aubrey frowned. "What did you do Val?"

Val giggled softly. "He called about four minutes ago and I might've answered the phone and told him I was having my wicked way with you and just hung up. I didn't think he'd want me to answer again." She said biting back her laughter.

"Val." Aubrey said trying not to laugh as she dialed Reid's, closed the screen and brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey Reid." Aubrey smiled.

"Tell your roommate she's on 'the list'." Aubrey laughed and looked over at Val.

"Reid says your on his list." She informed her roommate.

Val looked over at her. "The good or bad one?"

"Good or bad Reid?" Aubrey asked jokingly.

"What do you think?" Reid said sardonically.

Aubrey grinned at Val. "The good one." She said. Val laughed and Aubrey heard Reid in the phone telling her it was the 'bad one' not the good one.

Val got up from her bed and walked towards Aubrey she leaned over so she was close to the phone. "Maybe next time I'll let you watch me make your girlfriend scream." She said huskily right next to the phone.

Aubrey looked at Val bug eyed. "Val!" She shrieked.

"Ok she's on the good list." Reid said matter-oh-factly.

"Reid!" Aubrey screeched. "God I'm surrounded by perverts." She muttered covering her tired eyes and blushing cheeks with her free hand.

Val laughed and stood up straight. "Well this pervert is going to the showers."

"Good go." Aubrey said dropping her hand and her head fell back against her headboard. Val went around to gather her things. "Reid you got quiet." Aubrey said lightly.

"Just picturing you and Val in the shower that's all." Reid said and she knew he was joking but he just sounded so casual like it was a normal everyday occurrence.

"Well stop." Aubrey said shaking her head. "Perverts." She muttered to herself.

"Sweets you know I'm a pervert." Reid teased.

Aubrey sighed. "Yes and I love you any." Val made a hand motion of twenty minutes to Aubrey and left the room with her shower stuff. Kat was long gone now that it was February and Aubrey had noticed that some of Val's spirit had seemed to go with Kat, but she was still trying to be cheerful though she missed her love. They definitely could relate. "I miss you." Aubrey said suddenly.

"Sweets what's wrong?" Reid asked worriedly. Aubrey could tell his emotions easily, he masked them from the rest of the worried but she could always hear them in his voice when he talk to her.

Aubrey sighed. "It's just...this is stupid but Valentines day is coming up and I don't know, that and Val's not been as up beat since Kat left and it just all sort of made me realize how much more I miss you."

"You remember our last Valentines day?" Reid asked jokingly.

Aubrey giggled softly. "I thought I was going to have a heart attack when the cop knocked on the window." She said softly.

Reid chuckled. "Too many horror movies Sweets." He teased.

"Hey! Don't make fun of me Reid Garwin." Aubrey laughed lightly.

"It got a smile on your face didn't it?" He asked smugly. "Don't even try denying it Sweets."

"Mockery will get you no where." Aubrey said playfully.

"Who's mockery? Should I know him?"

Aubrey giggled. "That was really lame."

"Yeah, I need to work on my comebacks. So how was school?" Reid asked.

Aubrey sighed. "Dreadful, horrendous, appalling, awful, take your pick."

"Ok I pick awful, I can at least spell that." Reid joked.

"Reid." She giggled. "Come on be serious, my day was so horrible I came back to my dorm and fell asleep, have you ever known me to do that."

"Well no, but they're are first times for everything."

Aubrey smiled. "You're trying to cheer me up aren't you."

"What was your first clue Sweets?"

"So how was your day?" She replied teasingly.

Reid laughed. "The opposite of yours I'm afraid. After school me and Ty went to that Tattoo Parlor close to Nicky's and I finally got that tattoo on my forearm that I've been wanting."

"Did you send me pictures?" Aubrey asked smiling.

"Ty took a few with my phone and sent them yes, but you were asleep and obviously haven't checked your text messaging." Reid said playfully.

"I'm so sorry." Aubrey said jokingly. "Forgive me my dear sweet boyfriend."

"You're forgiven."

Ipswich, MA

March 15th :

"Shit ya!" Reid hollered winning yet another game of pool at Nicky's.

"Every time Garwin." One of the local guys said. He had played Reid in the passed and was always a gracious loser, never assuming Reid to be scamming him. And Reid wasn't he really was just that good, he didn't even use anymore in tight spots, because of what Aubrey had taught him.

"Sorry Jimmy it's birthday luck tonight." Reid joked patting him on the shoulder as his other hand was held out waiting for Jimmy to slap a fifty in to it.

Jimmy pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and slapped it in to Reid's hand. "Next time man, I'm taped for tonight, the wife is going to kick my ass if I don't get home soon."

"Later man!" Reid said shoving him off towards the door.

"Play you for a hundred Garwin." Reid growled low in his throat hearing that voice, he hated that voice.

Turning around though he was smirking at the tall curly dirty blond, Aaron Abbot, in his letterman jacket, Kira permanently attached at his hip. "You really should have the hideous growth on your side looked at Abbot, might be infected with some nasty disease." Reid said arrogantly.

Kira scoffed. "Fuck you."

"Not even with a ten foot poll Snyder." Reid bit back.

"One fifty Garwin?" Aaron bargained.

Reid moved his attention back to Aaron and smirked. "Don't go back on the bet when you lose."

"Just rack em up Garwin." Aaron growled.

Reid smirked. "Whatever you say Abbot." He said snidely. He looked over at Tyler who was standing by the table so no one would try and take it and gesture for him to rack the billiards up. Tyler nodded and did so.

"I'll even let you break first birthday boy." Aaron said having retrieved a cue stick from the rack on the wall.

"Well thank you." Reid said sardonically. "How fucking courteous of you. And yet your funeral." Aaron just sneered at him while Reid plastered a confident smirk on his lips as he leaned down lining up his shot and taking it. He sunk a solid and grinned. "Closer to victory already Abbot."

"Just play." Aaron glared.

Reid bent down again lining up another shot. He called the side pocket and sunk the ball. Calling out the corner pocket next Reid sunk that as well after circling the table he decided to go for a combo shot. "Another fifty says I make this combo." Reid said looking at Aaron smugly.

Aaron smirked. "Your on, there's no way you can make that combo shot." Reid just waggled his eyebrows sarcastically and leaned down, looking at the angles before deciding where to hit the cue ball off the side to knock perfectly into the two solid billiards to send them each into a pocket perfectly.

The thump of the cue ball off the side and the clank of it coming in contact with the other two was like sweet victory to Reid as they sank perfectly into separate pockets. "Couldn't make it my ass!" Reid said triumphantly.

Reid purposefully missed his next shot to let Aaron try and even up the score, but he knew there was just no way that was ever going to happen, cause no matter how much Aaron boasted and tried he still sucked a pool. He didn't have the knack for the game like Reid.

As Aaron lined up a shot Reid felt a pat on his shoulder and looked over to see Pogue grinning at him and Caleb next to Pogue. "Happy birthday man!" Pogue said grinning at him.

Reid grinned back. "Not the big one, but oh so close." He said.

"Stopped by your dorm, for your phone like you asked." Caleb said reaching in front of Pogue to hand Reid his cell phone. Reid nodded his thanks and then walked back to the table and lined up. It only took mere moments for the game to end.

"Pay up." Reid said holding out his hand to Aaron.

"You fucking cheated, just like you always do." Aaron growled getting closer to Reid's face.

"Just cause your a fucking fairy who can't play pool don't hold it against me." Reid grunted back. "Pay the fuck up."

"No." Aaron glared.

Reid made to step to get right in his face when his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. "Consider yourself fucking lucky Abbot." He growled and threw the pool cue down on the table before pulling his phone from his pocket and starting towards the front door of Nicky's. "Hang on I need to get outside." Reid said covering his other ear with his available hand. Once he reached the front he stepped out into the cool spring night air of Ipswich and sighed in to the phone. "Hey Sweets." He said pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Happy Birthday to my one and only bad-ass, how's your birthday going so far?" Aubrey said brightly in to the phone. Reid gave a non word grunt. "What's wrong?" Aubrey asked her brightness from before diminishing.

"The day was going great, no school, having a good time at Nicky's and then Abbot showed up and did what he always fucking does..." Reid starting ranting.

"Reid..."

"And I don't know why..."

"Reid!" Aubrey yelled from the other line. Reid paused. "Baby don't let that get you down. It's your birthday." A small smile twitched at the side of Reid's lips. "So how'd your day start out?" She asked cheerfully.

Reid succumbed to the urge and smiled. "Well my good day started while I was sleeping?" His smile slipped in to a frisky smirk.

"Oh how?" Aubrey asked obviously confused.

"I had a very naughty dream about you." Reid said picturing the instant blush on her cheeks. "You're blushing aren't you?"

"Shut up." Aubrey said baiting him.

"Yeah you blushed in the dream to the moment you lost your..." The door to Nicky's opened and Reid looked over seeing the other Sons coming out since he'd leaned back against the building. His right foot was flat against the wall bent at the knee and his free hand was now in his pocket. His black beanie and fingerless gloves were right in black. His wardrobe consisting of a black long sleeve shirt, a white one underneath only visible by the hem and baggy dirty faded denim jeans. His black converse on his feet as well.

"Reid you still there?" Aubrey asked after he'd gone silent.

"Yeah, the guys just came out of Nicky's. Hang on k?" Reid asked.

"Ok." Aubrey said. Reid pulled the phone away from his ear kicking away from the wall and walking towards his friends.

"Fellas." He said casually.

The three were very aware of who he was talking to, but didn't ask what they were talking about. "Tell Aubrey we said hi and we'll meet you out at the dells." Caleb said suggesting the idea looked at the other two who nodded, none of them having really made a plan at all.

"No car." Reid said.

Tyler groaned and pouted a little but pulled his keys from his pocket handing them to Reid. "I'll ride with Caleb."

Reid grinned. "Thanks baby boy and I promise one piece this time."

"Please, my mom was pissed when he had to replace that mirror." Tyler said.

"Yeah no problem, now my girls waiting could you go?" He said gesturing his head towards the parking lot. The guys shook their heads with stupid grins on their faces and walked away from Reid.

Reid made his way over to the hummer parked a ways away from the ducati and got in to the drivers seat shutting the door and bringing his phone back to his ear. "The guys said hi."

"Oh well ok." Aubrey said confused.

"I got you flustered didn't I?" Reid asked huskily

Aubrey scoffed. "No."

"Liar, you're curious what I was going to say." Reid said in a taunting alluring way.

"Fine, fine just tell me." Aubrey said as exasperated.

"Pushiness is not a very attractive quality." Reid jeered.

Aubrey groaned. "Don't use my words against me Reid Garwin."

"Bra. I was going to say bra, but two seconds later I woke up." Reid said disappointment in his words.

"Awe, you poor thing you. So what did the majority of the dream consist of anyway?" She asked curiously.

Reid smirked. "Lots and lots of making out and licking there was licking."

"We aren't dogs Reid what is wrong with your sick mind?" She jested.

He chuckled. "Trust me you'd want me to lick you this way, you'd love it. Probably beg for it maybe even moan my name..."

"Reid." Aubrey said.

"Sorry." He relented.

Aubrey sighed. "Don't be sorry. It's just with you there and me here..." She trailed off.

"Why Miss Higgins are you admitting to having naughty, hot, sex related dreams about me?" Reid asked with pride.

Aubrey giggled. "Maybe." She confessed.

Reid smirked thinking about what she could dream about him in such away. She didn't seem the type but then again there were lots of things about her that had surprised him in the passed. "Wow that actually, kind of really turns me on." Reid said appreciatively.

"Yeah very vivid dreams, sometimes day time hallucinations during class, but only cause I'm bored out of my skull." Aubrey teased.

Reid frowned. "You could've left the bored part out. It was more arousing when I thought you just wanted to think that way just cause you could."

She laughed lightly. He could stay disappointed at her he loved that laugh. "I was just kidding Reid, I think of you that way because I want to not cause I'm bored. Ask Val she's woken me up from one of the dreams before, said it sounded pretty erotic from the sounds I was making."

A giant grin plastered itself across Reid's face his eyes lighting with lust. "Oh really?"

"Oh Reid please don't get a big head about this." Reid looked down at the tight spot in his jeans and closed his eyes trying to will away that lust.

"Too late." He muttered sardonically knowing that she probably wouldn't catch on.

"You know being in an all girls school really makes you appreciate the male species." Aubrey joked. "Sometimes I feel like I took you for granted. I didn't kiss you enough, or spend enough time with you, or touch you enough." She explained softly.

"You can make up for it when you come back." Reid told her seriously. His head was rested back against the head rest eyes closed still trying to calm his 'needs'. "So the rest of my day was pretty good, Ty took me out for breakfast and then we headed in to Boston where I used my fake I.D. To get booze, and came back and we've been at Nicky's most the night just taken names and kicking ass at pool."

"My very own pool shark." Aubrey teased. "You know you totally owe me for being as good as you are."

"Most of my winnings go in to a jar, so I can buy you something really nice for your birthday." Reid told her.

Aubrey sighed. "I don't need really nice, you already over did it with the cell phone." She said.

Reid grinned. "That's what boyfriends do, they buy lots of expensive stuff for their girlfriends."

"But I don't need expensive. What I want I can't have." Aubrey said sullenly.

"Me too Sweets." Reid said understanding what she was saying completely. The only thing he really wanted for his birthday was to see her and that wasn't going to be possible. His parents would never let him leave the state with school in session and Aubrey wasn't going to be flying in to Ipswich any time soon if her father had any say in it.

"Of course it's Reid who else would it be." Reid heard Aubrey talking to Val. "Yeah it's his birthday."

"Happy birthday Reid!" Val said in to the phone.

Reid chuckled. "Thanks Val."

Aubrey giggled. "Well I feel like I should let you go so you can party with the guys and drink your illegal booze." She joked.

"I like talking with you though." Reid said.

"I know. But it's your birthday go celebrate, call me in the morning and I'll tell you a secret my mom told me about hangovers." She said enticingly.

"You should tell me now or I'll forget to call."

"No you'll remember." Aubrey said matter-oh-factly. "Especially if you want that hangover cure."

"Fine have it your way." Reid laughed. "I love you."

"Love you too, have fun ok?"

"Yeah I'll try."

"That's all I can ask for. Happy birthday babe."

"Thanks. Bye Sweets."

"Bye."

Brinley Academy

Same Night:

"So what did you send lover boy for his birthday?" Val asked as she came out of the bathroom shutting the light and climbed into her bed.

Aubrey looked over at her. "I found him this great jacket, I used the cash I pulled from the bank the other day to buy it so dad wont find out. It's perfect for him. It screamed Reid."

"Just like you did the other night." Val mocked her.

Aubrey threw her spare pillow at her roommate. "Shut up." She laughed. "I didn't know I spoke in my sleep I'm sorry, I'll try to..."

"What control your sexual desire for him?" Val said teasingly. "Sweetie that isn't going away."

Aubrey sighed. "I know." She whined. "I know." Her head thumped back against the headboard and she didn't even care that it had hurt a little. "And stop mocking me." Aubrey pouted.

Val laughed softly. "Aubs, unfortunately until you fuck him that desire isn't going to go away. And unfortunately that isn't going to be happening any time soon..."

"Not unless I do something so horrible that my dad will have to move me back to Ipswich." Aubrey muttered.

Val grinned. "How horrible are we talking here?"

"Like horrible beyond horrible, like can't attend any other private school in the country horrible." Val smirked as Aubrey looked over at her. "Why?"

Val grinned. "I read this magazine article about a girl who was basically black listed from every high school in the country for doing this stunt..."

"What kind of stunt? I don't want to kill anyone Val." Aubrey said skeptically.

Val continued to grin. "She set up smoke bombs and paint bombs at her high school junior prom and pulled the fire alarm, they had to remodel the entire school gym after that and no school wanted to take her they considered her dangerous."

"How?"

"Something about she'd done it for fun and they didn't know what she would do next when she got bored. Her parents had to pay for the remodel for the school not to sue."

Aubrey grinned. "I'm starting to like this idea. Where's she put the smoke bombs?"

"Under the tables, and the paint bombs right on top in with the flower décor in the middle." Val explained.

"That might just work." Aubrey said and Val could see the wheels moving in her head. "That really might work Val."

"Genius I know." Val said proudly. "What makes it better is we'd have to steel a few chemicals from the science department and you know how that is like immediate grounds for suspension, using them as a plot would just mean down right expulsion."

Aubrey grinned. "When is Prom?"

"According the Headmaster at Brine Academy, god how stupid do you have to be to know it's our sister all boys school, sorry, um in June."

"That's right as Spencer's letting out for summer. If I can get myself expelled and black listed from every where my father would have no choice but to take me back to Spencer." Aubrey said thoughtfully.

Val nodded. "Yeah." Her word seemed sullen.

Aubrey grinned. "Of course you could tell your parents that you think going to a school like Spencer would be better for you, there's hot yummy boys there."

"You think they'd buy it?" Val asked.

Aubrey grinned. "All you have to do is tell them an all girls school is just too tempting and you think Spencer would be a better choice, I mean come on you are the queen of acting."

"True."

Aubrey grinned. "I think, I'm going home soon." She said and lay down completely on her bed. "Reid will be so proud."

"I bet. A regular bad ass your becoming."

"I learn from the best." Aubrey replied snuggling down in to her covers. "Night Val, talk more in the morning."

"Yeah then we'll start hatching our master plan for expulsion." Val grinned laying down and rolling on her side facing away from Aubrey's bed. "Night."

AN: OK I know what you are all thinking 'it's so short' but today was a bit of a hectic day, well actually yesterday cause it's already 2:30 am and I have to be up and out of my house by 8:30 for work so I am going to leave it here. Anyway the reason it's short is cause yesterday was my sisters birthday and we had lots of errands to run this afternoon so I didn't have much time to work, and we went to dinner, when I got home I fell asleep from a stomach ache and when I woke up it was 9:30 so unfortunately that means a shorter chapter. But I did add some pictures to my page for the last chapter which I forgot to mention. And now you kind of see the black listing plot going on! Again really liking all the reviews, love hearing from readers who enjoy the story keep it up it's great incentive for me to keep posting regularly. Just saying. Anyways hope everyone has a great day, I probably wont be posting again till either early Tuesday morning around this time or Tuesday evening. Ok that's really all now, laters!


	5. PLEASE READ VERY IMPORTANT

Hey All,

I know I promised an update tonight but my day really didn't go like it was planned. After I left work I ran a few errands and got some food to bring home to eat and wam, car accident. My car is totaled in the front and is incapable of being driven ever again. Luckily it wasn't my fault so we'll be getting insurance money from the guilty party. But I had to go to the hospital to get checked out.. I've got whiplash and the doctor had to prescribe some pain meds for me, so ya anyways when I have the chapter up I will be replacing this author note with it just to let you all know. But I just didn't want you thinking I was neglecting you. But I am just really not feeling well at this time and I want to just sleep. Anyways hopefully a new chapter in the not to distant future. Thanks guys!

Jeans N Tee Girl


	6. I'll Be Home Before You Know It

Chapter 5: I'll be Home Before You Know It

Aubrey walked around the gym. They'd already set the smoke bombs under the tables, Val was 'helping' the dance committee with a few last minute things, casually placing the paint bombs next to the vases that held the flowers on the round tables. They were made to look like boxed balloon waits with balloons attached.

"This was so nice of you Val."

Val looked over at the brunette that had just come over. Her name was Elle and she was the head of the dance committee. Val had lied and told her, that her parents had paid for the balloons so that she could get the paint bombs in unnoticed.

"Well it's the least I can do." Val said with a fake smile.

Elle smiled back before turning to the girl that flanked her right side and whispered in her ear making the girl giggle as they looked sarcastically nice to Val. Then they walked away and Val just sneered setting down the last balloon bouquet attached to the paint bomb and left the gym.

"Everything set?" Aubrey asked meeting up with her outside the gym's main doors.

Val nodded. "All set. Elle and her pearl girl parade of misfits left before I did, that means everything is set up."

"I'm glad I didn't waist mommy on a new dress." Aubrey laughed softly.

Val nodded. "Unfortunately since we are all supposed to attend." She said seemingly disgusted.

"Well, let's hope all goes as planned tonight..."

Next Day:

"What were you thinking?" Headmistress McCain bellowed angrily at the two girls sitting across from her. She stood from her chair and started to move around the office. Aubrey and Val looked at each other and bit back giggles. "Not only did you ruin our gym, you could have seriously injured someone. Smoke bombs are not to be taken lightly. The paint bombs, well don't even get me started on how many students have come through my office this morning about their wardrobes." She said in defeat. "You stole chemicals from the science lab which as you both are well aware of is immediate grounds for suspension, using them the way you did...Do you have anything to say for yourselves?" Headmistress McCain stopped right in front of them. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes were burning with disappointment and anger.

"Uh, we were bored." Aubrey said with a slight shrug erupting in to multiple giggles as had Val.

Headmistress McCain sighed angrily. "You were bored?" She repeated slowly. "You cost this school hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs, not to mention your own parents, because you were bored?"

"Yep." Val laughed softly.

"Aubrey I told you I would be keeping an eye on you for the rest of the year and this is the last straw. And Valerie...I don't even know what to say." Headmistress McCain said in a defeated voice. "Both your parents have been contacted and I will be informing them that you two are going to be expelled. You've both hurt yourselves so bad with this stunt. Schools will not accept students who pull pranks like these for fun. Are you happy with yourselves?"

Aubrey shrugged. "Ecstatic." She said sarcastically, but inside she was jumping for joy.

Next Day:

"Aubrey what were you thinking?" Robert Higgins snapped as she was packing up her clothing into her suitcases.

Aubrey shrugged. "Oh I don't know a little of this a little of that." She said sarcastically.

Val had already finished packing up her things and was outside in the hall talking with her parents. What Mr. Higgins wasn't aware of was that he'd already accepted Valerie for admissions to Spencer Academy a week ago. Her parents had faxed her school transcripts, none of the information passed from school to school all Headmistress McCain was aware was that Val would be leaving them at the end of summer to start at a new school, she just didn't know where.

"This is about Reid Garwin isn't it? This is payback for sending you here!" Robert shouted.

Aubrey stood up and faced her father glaring. "What if it is dad? Huh? You had no right to send me here. Tell me did my grades ever drop even when I was with Reid? If mom were alive she never would've let you send me away. Just because you may think Reid's a bad kid doesn't mean he is. Reid is just..."

"Misunderstood? Right Aubrey? Reid Garwin has been nothing but trouble since he entered the education system. From kindergarten to now he has been a nuisance, I couldn't let him jeopardize everything you've worked for. Yale, Harvard, Brown! If you fell in love with him and stayed that way, none of those dreams would have come true!" He argued back.

His daughter scoffed. "Well what school is going to want me now? My perfect four point oh gpa doesn't exist anymore dad! And it's your fault not Reid's. And for your information I do love him."

Robert took a deep breath and released it. "You are going to live with your grandmother until I can figure out what to do with you."

"Fine send me away again!" Aubrey yelled shoving the last of her clothing in to her suitcase. She'd already packed everything and was now zipping up the last of it.

Robert Higgins sighed again. "There's a car outside waiting to drive you to your grandmother's." Aubrey stacked her two small suitcases on top of her larger two larger one's pulling the hands and dragging them towards the door without another word. "I'm going to have the expulsion expunged from your record, but every school on the east coast has been notified of your stunt. And since I promised your mother I would never send you farther away than along the east coast I'll have no choice but to bring you back to Spencer."

"Then why am I going to grandma's?" Aubrey asked.

"Because I said so." Aubrey hated when he said that. It was always aggravating to her.

So with that Aubrey grabbed her purse from her bare bed and walked out of her old dorm room door. Val was still talking with her parents when Aubrey came up and tapped her shoulder. "I'm off."

Val smiled. "I'll be seeing you." She said.

Aubrey nodded. "I'll be seeing you. Mr. And Mrs Gordan it was nice to meet you I'm sorry it was under such circumstances."

The Gordan's nodded, Aubrey was sure they blamed her for this but she didn't care. Valerie didn't have to take part of the blame but she had, not like she cared as soon as she graduated she was no longer going to be in the schooling system. She didn't want college, but she wasn't going to tell her parents that just yet.

They fish tail slapped each other's hand twice and snapped. With one last smile Aubrey left the school for good. Her cell phone was in her purse and she was sure going to call Reid as soon as she could...

AUGUST:

"Grandma it was so wonderful spending the summer with you." Aubrey said hugging her grandmother, a taxi was waiting to take her to the airport so she could finally go home.

"Oh like wise my dear. Your father is just worried about you, he'll come around. This boy sounds lovely." Her grandma Ruth said encouragingly.

Aubrey sighed. "Unfortunately grandma I don't think that's going to happen. But thanks for trying. Maybe I'll bring Reid here for thanksgiving this year. Since I would rather not spend it with father at this point."

"Oh dear..." Her grandmother said softly. "Your father is trying it's quite hard on him since your mother passed away."

"Grandma you don't understand, the doctors said with a bit more chemo they could have reduced the size of the mass and probably removed it, mother could have made a full recover. But he said no, he brought this on himself because he didn't want to care for her anymore." Aubrey said bitterly as she stood waiting to exit the large home.

Her grandmother sighed. "Sweetheart he just didn't want your mother to suffer."

"That's what he says but I knew caring for her was a burden for him. I could see it. I was not as naive as he thought." Aubrey huffed. "Look my cars ready to go I have be going or I'll be late for my flight."

"Alright dear, well call me and let me know when you get back to Ipswich. I know your plane is flying in to Boston. Your father will have a driver waiting for you at the gate."

"I know cause he's too busy setting up for this school year to care." Aubrey scoffed.

Ruth sighed. "Well I'd try and convince you otherwise but dear I don't think you have time for that. Just keep in touch will you?"

"I will. Love you grandma. And I meant it about Thanksgiving." She said as she started down the front steps towards the black Lincoln continental.

"I would most enjoy that dear." Ruth yelled down just as the driver was opening the door for Aubrey. Aubrey waved to her grandmother with a smile and climbed in the car.

Garwin Manor:

Reid was picking up the basement which happened to be his own apartment now, in his parents house. They had it refurbished for him, bathroom, bedroom, small kitchen are, hardwood flooring, the only thing it lacked was windows, bud Reid didn't really mind that. He had plenty of lighting to make up for that fact, not that he turned the lights on most the time. Normally he kept one or two lights on he preferred darker atmospheres.

He looked around making sure everything was in order, Aubrey was going to be home soon and he was going to have her over since his parents were out of town. Nothing seemed out of place so he sat down on his couch and his cell phone rang. He reached over to the coffee table grabbing his phone and saw the picture on the screen. He smiled and answered it.

"Hey Sweets your flight take off yet?"

"Reid..." Reid could tell something was wrong, her voice was hoarse like she'd been crying.

"Aubrey, what's wrong?"

"My driver...car...and...hit..." He barely was getting every other word she was now crying so hard.

"Aubrey calm down. Take a deep breath what's wrong?"

He heard her take a deep breath and hold it for a moment before releasing it. "My flight got in a-ab-out an h-hour ago." She stuttered. "M-my dr-driver was j-just dr-driving passed the c-city limits s-sign and swerved to m-miss some a-animal and we hit a t-tree."

"Oh my god, Aubrey are you ok?" Reid asked worriedly as he jumped up from his couch grabbing his car keys. His parents had gotten him a classic 1969 Chevy Camaro SS 350 automatic for his senior year.

Aubrey started crying again. "I think so." She said trying to calm back down. "But Jim the driver isn't moving, I called nine-one-one but it's really dark out here and I'm freaked out Reid."

"It's ok. You said you had just passed the city limits sign in to Ipswich?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'm coming just hang on ok."

"Don't get off the phone please, you know how I feel about the woods." Aubrey said in tears.

Reid sighed. "Ok, Sweets just hang tight ok I'm leaving my house now." He walked out the front door and got in his car peeling out of the driveway still holding the phone to his ear. "So what are you doing back so early?" He asked trying to change the subject.

"I was trying to surprise you." Aubrey said shakily. Reid heard the police sirens through her phone. "I see the cops."

"Ok, um just stay on the phone with me, but make sure you tell them everything ok."

"Ok." Aubrey said. Reid knew Aubrey was a smart girl, but she'd never had to deal with a car accident before let alone the actual police questioning her about something that happened. "Reid how long till you get here." She said in a panicked voice.

"Five minutes if I break every speeding sign posted." Reid tried to joke. "Ten if I abide the speed limit. Which would you prefer?"

"Five." Aubrey responded.

_"Miss are you alright? That looks like a nasty cut on your head, I think you should get checked out by the paramedics."_ Reid heard who he assumed was an officer talking to Aubrey.

"I...I..."

"Tell him I'll be there to take you to the hospital as soon as I can."

"My boyfriends coming he said he'd take me to the hospital."

_"Miss I really think you should go in the ambulance." _

"No. I...I...have a fear of them." She responded brokenly.

Reid knew though, she'd told him that to. He knew almost everything there was to know about her and she knew everything...well not everything, there was to know about him. "Sweets I'm almost there."

_"Is that him on the phone?"_

"Yeah he'll be here any minute." Aubrey said reassuringly. Reid could see the red and blue lights and as they got closer pulled off to the side of the road and got out of his car after pulling the keys from the now shut off engine. He looked around and didn't see her.

"Aubrey!" Aubrey came out from around a large officer and he saw the gash on her temple. She hung up the phone as did he as she ran towards him. Reid caught her mid leap.

"Reid." She sighed in to his ear. Reid held her around the waist her toes straining to reach his taller frame. Reid grabbed her biceps and pushed her back a bit to exam her. He saw a large gash on her right temple and shifted her hair out of the way. Blood was starting to drip down the side of her face.

"You need a hospital, probably stitches." Reid said lightly.

Aubrey leaned in to him, resting her left temple on his shoulder. "But they'll call my dad." She said softly. Reid looked around noticing to paramedics had gotten the driver from the car and were currently leading him to one of two ambulances.

"Come on." He said walking her to the other.

"Miss are you alright?" A third paramedic on the scene asked when he saw her coming up to his ambulance with Reid.

"Will she need stitches?" Reid asked him.

The paramedic began cleaning the wound on her temple and looking it over. "No stitches, just some butterfly band-aids, but she really should go to the hospital and get looked at for a possible concussion."

"I barely hit my head on the window, it shattered and I think the glass caught my skin by accident." Aubrey said. "Please I am terrified of hospitals."

The paramedic seemed to consider this. "Against my better judgment I'm going to patch you up and send you on your way after you've given a statement to the police officers. If you feel different in anyway, please go to the hospital. Someone will need to keep an eye on you while you sleep tonight."

"I wont let her out of my sight." Reid promised.

When the Paramedic looked at them questioningly Aubrey smiled. "My father's out of town and I'm staying with him for now." She gestured to Reid.

"Well I've got you patched up, the cut'll hurt for a few days, be sure to take some Advil, and don't hesitate to go in to the hospital if you start to feel anything abnormal."

"Will do." Aubrey said stepping back next to Reid. An officer found her and gathered her statement while the other paramedics drove of with her driver. "Can I take my bags from the car before you tow it away?" Aubrey questioned.

The officer nodded. "You may. And then your free to go."

Aubrey smiled kindly at the officer before tugging Reid towards the damaged vehicle. She pulled the latch on the trunk just beneath the key hole and it opened. Reid helped her pull her bags from the trunk and they walked them over to his car and got them situated.

"Ready?" Reid asked her as he held the passenger door open for her. Aubrey grinned.

"Nice car."

"Thanks." Reid smirked. "If I can say one good thing about my dad, he likes classic muscle cars."

"I'm sure you can say more good things than that." Aubrey said as she moved herself down in to the seat. Reid shut her door and looked up to see that the ambulances had left, the fire truck was beginning to pull away and the tow truck was loading up the Lincoln, it was safe to leave. He got in the driver's side as quickly as he could roaring the engine to life with a growl of feedback and pulled gear into driver before reaching across the seat hand extended to Aubrey.

She smiled as she slipped her hand in to his entwining their fingers together and resting their joined hands in her lap, the fingers of her free hand picking at small snags on his black fingerless gloves. "Are you ok?" Reid asked.

Aubrey looked at him and nodded. "Yeah. I'm just tired." To emphasize this she yawned.

"Sweets?"

"Yeah?" Aubrey replied lightly.

Reid looked over at her and then back at the road a smile on his face. "I'm happy you're home." He said sweetly.

"Me too." Aubrey said squeezing his hand lightly. "Things are going to be even harder this time around you know that right?"

"Yeah."

"You sure you want to keep seeing me? I mean my dad can probably destroy your academic future." Aubrey said lightly. She'd put lots of thought in to this on the flight back to Ipswich.

Reid chuckled. "What academic future? I'm not going to some big name college, I'll probably just take an online course in business, get a degree and open clubs and bars all along the east coast."

Aubrey giggled. "Glad to see you've thought that through."

"Well you know me always thinking ahead." He said jokingly.

Aubrey smiled and then it was gone. "My dad's going to make this more difficult than you realize, we probably wont have any classes together, separate lunches..."

"Yeah and you probably wont have a car still, but you know what I don't care how difficult he makes it. I'm not ending this with you." Reid said seriously. "Besides you're the only girl that'll have me." He teased.

A laugh broke from her lips for only a second. "I'm sure if you showed girls what I see that wouldn't be true."

"Well in that case..." Reid trailed of mockingly.

Aubrey scoffed. "Jerk." She muttered playfully.

Reid pulled their joined hands from her lap and brought them up so he could kiss the back back of her hand, then he set their hands back in her lap. "I was just kidding." Reid pulled the car in to his long driveway and around the fountain centered in the circular drive and parked the car. Aubrey let Reid pull his hand away and both got out of the car. Reid opened the trunk of his car. "Which suitcase Sweets?" Aubrey walked around to the back of the car and pointed to the smaller one. Pulling it out Reid shut the trunk one handed and then took Aubrey's hand after dropping his keys in to her other hand. Aubrey and he walked up to the front door and she used the key she knew was right to unlock it and opened the door for them.

Reid immediately took her to the basement door and they went downstairs coming up to another door that was open and walked in to his basement apartment. "Lock the door babe." Reid said taking her suitcase back in to the second bedroom. Aubrey closed and locked the dead bolt on the door. Reid liked his privacy.

"Wow you cleaned." Aubrey said jokingly as she slipping her jacket off setting it on the end of the couch in the living room area. Reid came out of the bedroom and walked over to her putting his arms around her waist from behind and resting his head on her shoulder.

"You can tell in the dark?" He asked.

Aubrey giggled. "When I'm not tripping on stuff it's clean?" She teased. There was a small light on an end table beside the couch, that didn't illuminate much in the room, but enough to maneuver around.

Reid kissed her cheek and let her go, walking over to flip on some light switches by the door. "I cleaned for you Sweets. I know how much you hate my messy little apartment." He joked.

Aubrey smiled at him as she turned around, he got a full glimpse of her outfit. She wore a denim mini skirt, that stopped barely reaching mid thigh and a black and white striped, ribbed, long sleeve hoodie v-neck top. Her feet were adorned in a pair of beat up black low top chucks.

Reid smirked when he glanced at the v-neck top a second time and saw that her silver bra was slightly visible. "Silver huh?" He asked jokingly.

Aubrey furrowed her brow in confusion and looked down at what Reid could possible be seeing and grinned she reached up adjusting her shirt accordingly. "It's metallic gray not silver. Me and Val got in an argument about it one night." She said with a smile.

"I like the new you." Reid said nodding his head approvingly as he crossed his left arm over his abdomen resting the elbow of his right on his lift forewarn and fingering his chin jokingly.

Aubrey took it upon herself to take a seat on his couch and Reid followed Aubrey turned so that she was laying with her back in the corner of the couch and her feet propped up on Reid's lap. "I sort of got a chance to be me there, so I can't say I hated all of it, but the majority of it sucked."

"Well you look gorgeous." Reid said as his fingers traced up and down the calf of her right left leg.

"You have to say that." Aubrey grinned. "But I needed a change. Val was really good for me. Got a couple more piercings in my ears, have one in my belly button now..."

"Wait, what?" Reid looked over at her hungrily.

Aubrey smiled and nodded. "Uh huh." In a flash Reid was kneeling over her, his knees on either side of Aubrey's legs leaning down he started to grab the hem of her shirt. Aubrey giggled grabbing his hands and stopping him. "What are you doing?"

"Peeking." Reid said smirking at her. Aubrey released his hands and Reid immediately lifted the hem of her shirt up enough to expose her flat abdomen. His eyes first landed on her tattoo that dipped down beneath her skirt and then on the small silver bar bell through her belly button. Bending his head down Reid took the small silver ball between his teeth and gave slight tug.

"Ow." Aubrey flinched. Reid let go looking up at her and saw her grin. "Just kidding." She teased. Reid eyes than diverted to her tattoo his fingers reaching up and grazing over the inked skin exploring. Of course he'd known about it, but first hand experience was always more exhilarating. He grabbed her hips and pulled her further down on the couch and leaned down hovering just above her face.

Aubrey brought her hands up and casually removed the black beanie on top of Reid's head before throwing it to the side and letting both of her hands play in his blond hair. Her fingers gently tucked hair behind his ears, her eyes never wavering from his and he moved his head down and brought their lips together for their first kiss in over a year. Aubrey sighed into the kissed as Reid licked her bottom lip asking for entrance. To his pleasure Aubrey obliged and he slipped his tongue inside to massage her own.

A low throaty moan rumbled from Aubrey as her fingers fisted in Reid's hair on either side of his head pressing his lips as close to her own as possible. Reid's fingerless gloved hands were cradling her neck as his thumbs rubbed sensuously along her jaw line. After a few moments Aubrey began feeling a bit light headed, whether it was from the gash on her temple or the fact that she was sucking face with her boyfriend she didn't know but she reluctantly broke from his lips.

Reid never deterred just moved his lips down along her neck, moving his right hand down her side as his lips kissed along the right side of her neck down to her exposed collarbone. Aubrey released one hand moving it to the nape of Reid's neck while the other remained clutched in his hair. Unfortunately for the recently reunited couple a cell phone began to ring and Aubrey groaned in displeasure. "That's me." She said softly.

"But..."

"Val has the number." She told Reid as he pulled away from her neck. Aubrey gave a small smiled as her fingers caressed his cheek ever so faintly. "She only calls if it's important." Reid sat back on his heels, still technically over top her and reached back grabbing her coat from the other end of the couch. He felt around the pockets before grabbing her cell and pulling it out and handing it to her. "Thank you." She said.

Reid grinned as she answered the phone. He dipped his head back down kissing along her collarbone once again. "Hey." Aubrey said trying desperately not to giggle as Reid kissed the exposed flesh of her upper right breast right next to the low v-neck collar of her shirt.

"Aubs! Guess where I am?" Val said enthusiastically.

"Airport." Aubrey said her free hand on the back of Reid's neck only encouraging him more.

"Yep! So I was wondering..."

"I haven't got a car Val. Besides my dad doesn't even know I'm in town yet. I'm with Reid." Aubrey explained.

"Well can't you and Reid come pick me up in Boston tomorrow around 5 a.m.?" Val asked.

Aubrey gave a snort of amusement. "If you can get read up at 4 a.m. To be there on time sure. But very unlikely." She told her friend.

"Give him the phone." Val said.

"What?"

"Just give Reid the phone." Aubrey rolled her eyes and moved to hand Reid the phone.

"Val wants to talk to you." She said bringing her free hand back from his neck and under his chin to lift his head. Reid took the phone and sat back on his heels again.

"Hello?"

"Reid, hey I need a favor!Could you please come pick me up at the airport tomorrow around 5 a.m.? Pretty please?" Val pleaded.

Reid frowned for a second. "What'll you do for me in return?" Aubrey watched as a grin lit up Reid's face, Val obviously having answered with something he'd like. "Fine." He smirked at Aubrey. "Yeah bye." He ended the call and set her phone down on the coffee table placed in front of the couch.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Aubrey asked skeptically.

Reid shook his head with a grin. "No reason."

"Why does that not put my mind at ease?" Aubrey asked rhetorically. "I guess if we have to be up at 4 a.m. We should be getting to bed."

Reid frowned playfully. "You are not getting away from me that easy." He said leaning down and kissing her lips softly.

Aubrey felt all those delicious tingles she always got whenever kissed her, especially like that. "I never said which bed." Aubrey said as her eyes fluttered back open as his breath breezed over her lips lightly.

Reid grinned at her. "I really like this new you. Have I told you that?"

Aubrey giggled. "Yes. But it's just sleeping Reid, nothing more." Reid pouted. "Don't give me that. I just got back, we have lots of time for that stuff later." Aubrey emphasized the later in her sentence and a grin spread on Reid's lips.

"I'm just..." Reid trailed off not knowing how to express himself to her.

Aubrey cupped his cheek and lifted her head slightly peeking a tender kiss upon his succulent lips. "I know. Me too. We'll figure out a way to make this work whether my father likes it or not." Aubrey said confidently. "So you think you can just sleep next to me?" She teased.

Reid smirked and nodded. "But I will lie if anyone ever finds out I just slept next to a girl."

Aubrey giggled. "Fine."

"Deal." Reid moved off the couch reaching out to give Aubrey a hand. He helped her up and Aubrey followed him in to his room instantly making herself at home by going to his dresser and opening the top drawer.

"Bingo." She said grabbing a pair of his clean black boxers and then the next drawer down was his t-shirts.

"You know for never dating a guy you sure don't mind wearing our clothes." Reid teased her as he started stripping off his top layers of clothing.

Aubrey turned towards him the articles of clothing clutched in her hand. "My mom..." She stopped looking away from Reid. Her mother had been a big fan of boxers and large t-shirts as pajama's even for a wealthy woman, she'd always preferred comfort to class.

Reid gave a weak smile as he walked towards her, his belt buckle undone and his jeans sagging a little low on his hips. "Sweets..." He said sympathetically. Aubrey sighed and looked up at him tears pooling in her eyes.

"I just miss her." Aubrey said wiping away the tears that started to fall. "My mom use to say comfort over class, she never wore expensive nighties or lingerie to bed, she wore boxers and baggy shirts."

"Cause women are damn sexy in mens clothes." Reid said in a joking manor, but a sweetness wedged in with the words and Aubrey smiled at him. Reid kissed her forehead and shoved her towards his personal bathroom and Aubrey let out a small giggle. He always knew just what to say to her, even if he always said he wasn't any good at comfort.

Aubrey came back out of the bathroom a few moments later changed and she dropped her other clothes next to the bathroom door on the floor and walked over to Reid's bed pulling the covers back and climbing in. Reid moved his arm so she'd snuggle up to him and she did just that using his chest as a pillow.

As they lay there in the dark waiting for sleep to take them Aubrey couldn't stand the silence any more. "Do you wish we could go back to the way things were?"

"Sometimes." Reid admitted as his fingers combed through her hair, landing on one of a few purple streaks and he started twirling it around his finger. "It was a hell of a lot easier that's for certain."

"Nothings meant to be easy." Aubrey replied softly.

"Yeah but it's not meant to be this hard either." Reid retorted quietly.

Aubrey sighed. "We'll figure something out. We always do."

"Tomorrow night is the party at the Dells, you want to come?" Reid asked yawning.

"I wish I could. I'm having dinner with my father tomorrow night, it's his way of saying welcome-back-even-though-I-don't-want-you-here-anywhere-near-that-Garwin-boy." Aubrey said with a light laugh.

Reid chuckled softly kissing the top of her head. "Ok. So when were you going to tell me about Val coming?"

Aubrey could've smacked herself in the forehead. "I forgot to tell you, we got Val excepted to Spencer before the 'incident'."

"Smart. Bet Higgins hasn't even realized who he's let in." Reid said sarcastically.

"Her parents donated a lot of money to the school, so I don't think he much cares, not to mention they 'donated' again shortly after the incident so that in case he found out he wouldn't change his mind." Aubrey said softly.

Reid shook his head. "Well what a world we live in these days."

"I know. We should sleep." Aubrey yawned. "4 a.m. Wake up call."

Reid kissed her temple and heard her let out a soft hiss. "You ok?"

"Mmm...just stung a bit is all." Aubrey said lightly.

"I love you Sweets."

"Love you too Garwin.

AN: OK I know long time no update, I have finally been feeling a bit better since my accident and decided to see what I could come up with. I know this chapter jumps a lot of time, but I really wanted to bring Aubrey back to Ipswich, there's big plans and trouble ahead for the duo. So let me know what you think, I know this chapter isn't up to par with some of my other's but stay with me I'm really just trying to get my feet back on the ground since the accident. I'm having some troubles still with pain in my lower neck, shoulders and back which makes it difficult to sit and type for long periods of time. Anyways ok so I hope the next chapter wont take near as long, but who knows. An don't worry there will be flash back scenes to the 'incident' and some others for good measure so you aren't completely clueless as to what was going on in those large gaps of time that I skipped. Ok Just let me know what you thought! Thanks!


	7. When Tomorrow Looks Bleak

Chapter 6: When Tomorrow Looks Bleak

Aubrey was practically buzzing the next morning as she readied herself to go with Reid to the airport. "There's not any way I can convince you to let me drive is there?" Aubrey asked Reid as she jumped on the bed fully dressed and ready for the morning while he hadn't even woken up yet. It was twenty minutes before they needed to leave to be on time.

Reid groaned as he pulled the covers up over his head. "It's three forty in the morning go away."

"You agreed to pick Val up from the airport in Boston Reid, come on. Whatever she promised you had to have been worth it." Aubrey said pulling the covers down and running her index finger along the backside of his ear.

"Not fair." He moaned. Aubrey grinned as she leaned down her teeth gently tugging at the silver hoop dangle from Reid's ear. She knew that drove him nuts. "Doubly not fair." He said his face in his pillow.

Aubrey giggled. "Get up." She said shaking him playfully. "Come on Reid."

Reid finally sat up. "Fine I'm up. I'm up. You are far to perky for this time of the morning." Reid said. Aubrey grinned as she leant down and kissed him soundly on the lips. "Mmm...do that again." Reid said grinning. Aubrey kissed him again and Reid put his arms around her pulling her down so that she was laying down on top of him.

Aubrey pulled back and smirked at him. "More later if you get up now."

"Smirking is my thing. And no you can't drive." Reid said pecking another kiss to her soft lips before she rolled off him and off the bed. Reid sat up and threw the blankets from his body. He walked over to his dresser and got ready.

Airport:

Aubrey pulled Reid along as they headed through the airport trying to find baggage claim. "Sweets slow down." Reid chuckled.

"Come on Reid." Aubrey said enthusiastically. "I want to be waiting on her not her on us." She said.

Reid just smiled rolling his eyes, she finally had a friend so who was he to keep her enthusiasm bottled up. He was really happy she finally had someone to talk to that wasn't just him. He knew there were things she didn't tell him strictly cause he was a guy, but now he needn't worry too much about her.

When they reached baggage claim Aubrey looked around swiftly before pulling Reid over to some seats. They sat and Aubrey rested her head on Reid's shoulder as they waited. "You want some coffee?" Reid asked kindly. "I know where the Star-bucks is in here."

Aubrey lifted her head and smiled at him. "Grande white chocolate mocha, not too hot." She said sweetly.

Reid gave her a quick kiss and disappeared to get them some coffee. Aubrey sat looking around, she saw the posted flights and looked for any that said something about Val's. And she found it 'delayed'. Quickly she walked over to the airline carrier's counter and smiled at the young woman behind it who smiled back. "Hi. Um I saw that the flight from San Francisco was delayed, um is there any reason why?"

"Oh there was just a delay in their lay over in Indiana. It should be here within the hour." She said politely. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"No that's ok. My boyfriends going to be cussing up a storm in about ten minutes though." Aubrey laughed and she thanked the young woman and went back to her seat. Reid came back moments later and Aubrey grinned as he handed her the cup of coffee.

"Twenty-four hour Star-bucks is really nice." He said sipping his coffee.

"Reid?" He looked at her and Aubrey put on her sweetest smile. "Val's flight had a little delay in Indiana, but it should be here within the hour."

Reid's face sunk and she could hear the muttered curses under his breath as he shook his head and looked down at the floor. "Good for nothing planes." He said finishing his little rant.

Aubrey giggled and kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Reid said. "You can't control the planes."

"No, but if it wasn't for Val..."

Reid shrugged. "Val's your friend, so I'm not terribly inconvenienced." Aubrey raised a brow and Reid smiled at her. "While I loved being your only friend for so long, I'm glad you have a girl...whose a friend." He said treading around the sexuality issue jokingly. Aubrey giggled.

"Val's not trying to get in my father's good graces, much like someone I already know." She said. Reid smirked and leaned towards her.

"Oh really?"

Aubrey leaned in her lips mere inches from his own. "Yeah."

"Are you two going to kiss or what? I ain't got all damn day." Aubrey turned her head and saw Val standing there, but she was different.

Aubrey's eyes widened in shock. "What...are you wearing? And...what the hell did you do to your hair?" Aubrey got up walking towards her.

Val scoffed at the first question. "My mother would not let me get on the plane unless I looked respectable."

Aubrey grinned. "It's a pencil skirt and...blouse. Holy shit what'd she do hog tie you and dress you herself." She laughed.

Val turned her head at the perusing form of her friend and glared. "Not another word Higgins." She said lowly.

Biting her lip to keep from laughing Aubrey stopped perusing and stood next to Reid. "Val this is Reid, Reid meet Val." Aubrey said trying to change the subject.

Reid nodded at her in greeting and Val did the same. "You look different from pictures." Reid said.

"She did something to her hair." Aubrey added looking at Val.

Val smiled. "Kat thought I should try chocolate brown for a while. I kind of like chocolate brown, it's better than the mousy brown my hair was when I was a child."

Aubrey smiled too. "I like it." She said approvingly.

"Oh well now that I have the almighty Aubrey's approval..." Val said sarcastically.

Rolling her eyes Aubrey shook her head and grinned. "Shut it Val. So where's your luggage and the nearest restroom, you can not leave this airport looking like...that." Aubrey pointed at her for good measure and Val flipped her off. "No I'm pretty ok right now, but thanks for the offer." Aubrey said sardonically in reply to the lewd finger gesturing.

Reid smirked looking down at the grin on Aubrey's face and Val frowned. "I'm rubbing off on you." She muttered. "Help me find my luggage and I would gladdy change."

Aubrey pointed to the conveyor belt where two large black suitcase were tumbling down the shoot. "It's kind of hard to miss them when you splattered them in paint." And indeed the two large pieces of luggage were splattered in different colors and shades of paint.

Val shuffled in heels to her luggage pulling them from the line and Aubrey tried desperately not to laugh, cause Val could barely moved in the pencil skirt. "Some friend you are." Reid teased. He put his arm around her shoulder.

"Some gentlemen you are." Aubrey retorted playfully.

Reid sighed and handed her his coffee before walking over and offering Val help with her luggage. Aubrey had a feeling Reid and Val would get alone. Both detested authority, loved practical jokes, hated school...oh yeah they were definitely going to get along just fine.

"Pearl girl!" Aubrey snickered as she went over to walk with them to the nearest restroom. Val looked over at her and glared.

"Oh that's...Reid she screamed your name in the middle of the night while she was tossing and turning." Val said glaring at Aubrey still.

Aubrey's jaw fell open. "VAL!" She screeched.

Reid just smirked enjoying the scene, he hadn't seen Aubrey like this ever it was kind of different but he liked it on her. "Really?" He asked intrigued.

Val looked over at him smug triumph on her face at ceasing Aubrey's tormenting. "Yep."

Aubrey dropped her head slightly her hair that hung down in gently waves falling to hide her face, she could feel the heat on her cheeks. They reached the bathrooms and Val walked in with her suitcase while Reid and Aubrey stood outside. Aubrey looked over and saw Reid grinning and he turned his gaze on her. "It's ok Sweets, I'm sure lots of girls scream my name in their sleep." He said teasingly.

And the red on her cheeks was completely covering her face now. Aubrey handed him his coffee and turned facing away from him. Reid left Val's suitcase on the floor in sight and put his arm around Aubrey's waist pulling her so she stood in front of him her back against his chest while he leaned back against the wall next to the bathroom door.

"It's so easy to make you blush." Reid said kissing her cheek.

"Please don't tease me about this." Aubrey said softly embarrassment in her voice.

Reid grinned. "But it's so fun."

"Well I don't think it's fun." She muttered.

With his arm looped around her waist Reid link his finger through the belt loop his hand was closest to on her jeans. "OK Sweets, I'll stop."

"Promise?" Aubrey said turning her head a little to look at him and Reid smiled and nodded.

"Promise." Reid said giving her a soft kiss on the lips. Aubrey turned her head back around as Reid brought his other arm around her collarbone, holding her opposing shoulder.

"What's got you in such a hugging mood?" Aubrey asked.

Reid shrugged and kissed the back of her head. "I don't know. Glad you're ok."

"Hugging has never been your thing though." Aubrey said softly.

"Maybe it should be." Reid murmured.

"God you two make me sick." Val said as she came waltzing over suitcase trailing behind her. She now wore a pair of faded gray skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, black cropped three button v-neck vest and knee high doc martens that were laced up over her pants.

Aubrey smirked at her. "Welcome back to the land of normal." She teased her.

Val made a face at her before a grin broke on her lips. "So..."

"Let's go." Aubrey said, she turned to walk and Reid went with her making her giggle as Val followed rolling her eyes. They got out to the parking garage and Reid had since let Aubrey go instead opting to hold her hand and walk along side her while Val filled her in on the plane ride she'd had.

When they reached the car and Reid moved to open the trunk Val paused mid stride. "This...is...yours?" She asked mouth hanging open.

Reid looked at her with a confused look on his face. "Yeah." He nodded slowly.

Val spluttered for a second. "I think I just ruined my clean panties." She murmured. Aubrey broke out in hysterics while Reid watched with amusement as Val eye-raped his car.

"Get in the car Val." Aubrey said after five minutes of her staring, Aubrey had to resort to pushing her towards the vehicle. Reid was already in the driver's seat buckled in when Aubrey put the front passenger seat forward and Val climbed in. Her fingers instantly smoothing over the clean reupholstered seats. "Buckle up." Aubrey instructed after slinking down in to her seat and shutting the door. She buckled her own seat belt and then noticed Reid's hand sitting palm up and open on the edge of her seat. She smiled and slipped her hand in to his as he pulled out of the parking spot and towards the exit of the garage.

"So you like classics?" Reid asked Val who was still seemingly mesmerized with the car.

Val nodded. "I've seen two restored classics in my life that were just absolutely cream worthy and this...by far takes away the orgasmic pleasure of the first." Aubrey just laughed softly shaking her head as she sipped her coffee. "Why didn't you tell me he had this hot ass car?"

"I didn't know." Aubrey said shrugging. "I just saw it last night."

"The backseat?" Val mocked.

"Unfortunately no." Reid muttered.

Aubrey frowned at him, but it didn't hold it's desired affect since all Reid did in return was smirk at her for a moment and then turn his gaze back to the streets ahead as the red light they were currently stopped at turned green. "No Reid had to come pick me up. My driver recked our car swerving to miss an animal."

"Shit you ok?" Val asked.

Aubrey nodded. "I'm fine."

"Aubs." Aubrey didn't notice that Val was no longer wearing her seatbelt.

"I said I'..." But she was cut off as lips crashed against hers, she'd turned her head at just the wrong moment. Quickly pulling away Aubrey wiped at her mouth. "Ew, ew, ew...what the hell'd you do that for?" She asked.

Val patted Reid on the shoulder and smirked. "Happy lover boy?"

Reid grinned. "Ecstatic." He said looking at Aubrey for a brief second.

Spencer:

The three pulled up outside of Spencer. "The dorms, are probably empty right now, but you can move in to your dorm room." Aubrey told Val. "What room is yours?"

"Three twenty." Val told her after pulling the information sheet from her purse.

"Ty and I are just down the hall from you than." Reid told her.

"And you?" Val asked Aubrey.

Aubrey scoffed. "You think my dad's going to let me live in the dorms, especially now? I highly doubt it. Not without a guard posted at my door twenty four seven."

"Bummer." Val said.

"But I have come to the conclusion that he can't keep my car from me. Let him have my cell phone and my laptop. My mom put that car, completely paid for, in my name legally he can't do anything with it since it belongs to me. And I can always put in with my mom's lawyer for a loan from my trust to get money." Aubrey said grinning as she perked up a bit.

Reid smirked. "So sexy when your devious." He said huskily as he bent his head kissing her lips softly.

Aubrey grinned as she kissed him back, until they both heard Val making gagging noises in the back seat. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little." Val said sardonically.

"Shut up Val." Reid and Aubrey retorted after pulling back, not taking their eyes off each other.

Val gave an amused scoff. "Ok then at least let me out. You two look about ready to jump each other's bones."

Aubrey made a funny face at Reid making him chuckle as she moved back to open the door and pull her seat forward for Val to climb out. "Also rather unfortunately if I step foot in that building just yet, there's a chance my father will see me with Reid and throw a fucking fit. So while I would love to help you up to your room I can't."

Val pouted jokingly. "Fine be that way."

"And I have every intention of dropping you and your shit right here and going home and going back to my bed." Reid said as he got out of the car and went around to the trunk to pull Val's suitcases out.

Val stood there as he set the two suitcases next to her and frowned. "Well damn what a fab-fucking-tastic welcoming committee you two make." She said sarcasm evident in her voice.

Aubrey had since shut her door the windows tinted to keep her from view, not like many people would recognize her these days anyway. "Whatever Aubrey's going to be in my bed and that is quite frankly all I care about at the moment." Reid grinned after closing his trunk.

"If you can get her back to bed, she drank an entire grande latte, you are fucked." Val mocked as she pulled the handles on her suitcases and started to wheel them towards the stairway leading up to the front dormitory doors.

Reid winked at her a devilish grin on his lips as he opened the drivers side door looking at her over the hood of his car. "Oh trust me I have my ways."

"I'm sure Casanova." Val said sarcastically. "Thanks I guess for picking me up."

"Sure." Reid shrugged. "But don't expect it again. You just took..." He looked at his wrist, which didn't hold a watch but he was being sarcastic. "Three hours of pleasant dreams and that fem/fem kiss was not even remotely worth those three hours."

Val laughed. "What did you want me to slip your girlfriend some tongue? Aubs doesn't swing that way Lover boy, but I would be more then glad to persuade her to the dark side." She said deviously.

Reid frowned jokingly. "Fine you've made your point."

"I always do." Val said grinning triumphantly. "Later Lover boy."

Reid gave a curt wave and slipped down in to the driver's seat of his car. He looked over and saw Aubrey smirking with a raised brow questioning him silently. "What?" He asked acting innocent.

Aubrey shook her head and just giggled to herself. "I'm in love with a pervert." She mumbled jokingly.

"Back to bed?" Reid asked looking at Aubrey with a grin.

She bit her lip but couldn't bite back the smile. "Fine."

"What time do you have to leave my place?" Reid asked suddenly very serious.

Aubrey sighed and looked out her window pensively. "By five tonight, my dad thinks I'm flying in at three thirty, he expects a car to be dropping me off around five."

"That gives us plenty of time too..." Reid trailed off with a dreamy grin on his lips as he pulled away from Spencer grounds on to the main road of Ipswich. Aubrey punched him lightly in the arm and he looked at her and smirked. "Sleep. Jeez what were you thinking?" He asked playfully.

"Why do I put up with you?" She asked sarcastically.

Reid shrugged a grin turning up his lips once again. "I ask myself that everyday, why do you put up with me?"

"Because you buy me nice things."

"Is that the only reason?"

"And because your handsome and sexy."

"And?"

"What else is there?"

"Aubrey." He voiced with sarcastic annoyance.

"Oh right, and I love you."

"Sweets?"

"Yep."

"I love you too."

Higgins Home:

Aubrey had taken a cab from Reid's with her luggage home around four thirty that afternoon. When she arrived there was a message from her father on the answering machine that he would be home shortly he was just sorting out a few transfer students who had fumbled up their rooming information. Aubrey had immediately gone upstairs to find that her room was the same as she left it which meant... She stuck her hand beneath the mattress and pulled out two chains of several photos taken from a booth at the mall in Boston. She'd forgotten them when she'd left for Brinley. One set was of her and Reid being silly and the other was her and her mother being fun but normal.

She smiled upon seeing them. She hadn't really done much living since her mother had passed away and the pictures with Reid just showed her how much she'd changed since she'd met him.

Aubrey slipped the pictures in to her nightstand drawer and started unpacking her room, making sure to put her rather new wardrobe in the closet where her father would never dare to look.

"AUBREY!"

Aubrey groaned in irritation and made her way out of her room down the staircase to see her father standing near the bottom. "Dad, no need to yell." She said unenthused.

"I thought I told you to fix your hair?" He said monotonously hanging his jacket on the coat hanger in the corner.

"And I thought I told you I liked it. Grandma said she loved it too so she took me to have the highlights redone." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"I'm not arguing with you about your hair anymore." Robert said in defeat. "You're my daughter I am going to try and like it."

This took Aubrey by surprise. "So you are going to try and like Reid?" She asked.

Robert scoffed. "Not a chance. I tolerate that boy at most, most of the time. His parents fund half the library these days with all the trouble he causes."

_He didn't when he was with me._ Aubrey thought silently, but said nothing aloud. "So what's for dinner?"

"Meatloaf, Annaliese prepared it, it should be resting in the oven. How was your flight?"

"Uneventful." Aubrey said with a shrug as she followed her father in to the kitchen. "Evening Annaliese."

A older women of her mid forties looked up from where she was mixing mashed potatoes and smiled. "Well hello Aubrey. Welcome back."

"Good to be back I guess." Aubrey said. "Did you make the meatloaf from scratch?" Annaliese nodded. "Yum, school food is no where near as good as your home cooking."

"Though not as good as your mothers." Annaliese said kindly. Moreen, Aubrey's late mother, had hired Annaliese when Aubrey was still young. At first Annaliese had been hired to help around the house, now though she could've been said to run it. Though Robert Higgins ran the household, Annaliese kept it together. She cooked, cleaned, and up until last year had scheduled all of Aubrey's appointments and so forth. She'd graciously turned and looked the other way when Aubrey had asked for days home alone and Aubrey loved that about her. She was like family, like an aunt really.

Aubrey smiled at her. "Almost though." She said sweetly.

"Aubrey you and your father go sit, I'll bring the food out in a few moments."

"Thank you Anna." Robert said. Aubrey said Annaliese frown at him shortening her name.

"Dad her name is Annaliese, not Anna." Aubrey said a bit condescendingly to her father.

Robert looked up from the paper he'd snagged from the counter top. "She's never objected to Anna before Aubrey."

"Cause she doesn't want to insult you. Her name is Annaliese, you'd do well to learn it."

"Fine Aubrey." Robert said with a shake of his head. "Thank you Annaliese." He said putting emphasis on the end of her name. Annaliese nodded her head, slightly afraid to say anything and upset him in any way.

Robert made his way in to the dining room. "Aubrey you should not have done that." Annaliese said.

Aubrey shrugged. "It's always bothered you. And I'm finally realizing it's ok to say what's on my mind. Hopefully now you wont frown or flinch when he says your name."

"Well thank you I guess." Annaliese said giving her a bit of a weary smile.

Aubrey smiled back. "Sure. Now I must go speak to my father about my car."

Aubrey went to the dining room and took a seat across from her father. "Where'd the cut on your temple come from?" Robert asked.

Pressing her finger lightly to the cut, almost having forgotten the accident already she sighed. "I smacked my head getting in to the car today. Speaking of cars I want my keys please."

"Let me think about that for a moment...Ok thought about it and no." Robert said still looking at the newspaper he brought with him.

"Dad that car is completely in my name you have no right to take the keys from me."

"You are seventeen living under my roof, I have the right to do just about anything. Nothing belongs to you till you turn eighteen young lady."

"What good is keeping the car from me going to do? Honestly? I need the car to get back and forth to school."

"You going to break ties with Reid Garwin?" Robert asked looking at her annoyed.

Aubrey scowled. "No."

"Then no car. You'll use it to run off with him and while having you driven back and forth to school will be a hassle I all least know you aren't spending anymore then the required necessary time with that boy." He said a bit angrily.

Aubrey growled in frustration. "You are the worst father in the world. Reid would never stop me from going to the college of my dreams! Why can't you see how much we care about each other?" Aubrey pushed her chair back and stood abruptly.

"You run off to him I'll call the police." Robert said looking back at the paper without so much as batting at I at the threat.

Aubrey scoffed. "What good will that do?" Robert just gave her a look and Aubrey sat back down. "Why are you doing this to me and Reid?"

"Only doing what's best for you. Your college applications came in the mail to my office today." Robert said.

Aubrey really did stand up and walk out this time. She walked through the kitchen. "Annaliese will you save me a plate, I'll eat later, I am not eating with him."

"Yes Aubrey." Annaliese said and Aubrey walked out of the kitchen back down the hall, up the stairs and to her room slamming the door shut. She wanted to call Reid and talk to him, so she grabbed out her sidekick and went in to her en-suite bathroom shutting and locking the door. She turned the shower and sat down on the step in front of her tub.

1st Day of Senior Year:

Aubrey took a deep breath and walked out of the cafeteria. Everyone had been staring at her all day long. Guys were taking notice to her because she looked different, mostly make-up but still make-up could do wonders to an appearance. All though that morning Reid had told her make-up did nothing for him that he liked her skin natural. She was so beautiful that way. He could be so sweet when he wanted to be.

As she walked in to the hall she bumped in to Reid himself. "We gonna do this?" Reid whispered.

She licked her lip in thought before giving it a mindful bite. "We have to." She replied softly looking up at him sadly. "It's the only way, this will work out." She looked around to make sure nobody was watching or paying attention to them.

Reid adjusted the strap of his messenger bag on his shoulder and nodded his head. "Ok."

Aubrey sighed. "I'm sorry Reid." She murmured and the class bell rang and students started pouring out of the the cafeteria as well as coming in from the front lawn. Aubrey gave Reid a sorrowful look and he gave a very slight nod, just before she reached up and slapped him across the face. "How could you?!" She practically yelled.

"I'm sorry ok! It was a mistake, you weren't here!" Reid replied holding his stinging cheek.

Aubrey scoffed. "And that makes it ok? That I wasn't here!"

"I didn't say that, don't put words in my mouth!" Reid snapped.

"How about these words! It's OVER!" Aubrey screamed. "I don't ever want to speak to you again."

"Sweets come on it was an accident!"

"Screw you Reid!" And with that Aubrey stocked off, tears streaming down her cheeks. Not from their fight, but from the fact that this was what she had to resort to, to get back some semblance of normalcy.

"Aubrey!" Reid yelled.

Students were already whispering as she walked passed. Girls know doubt giddy that the infamous Reid Garwin was yet again available and/or trying to figure out who Reid had 'been' with to cause the fight. The whole school had been informed of Reid and Aubrey after their very public display the day she was taken away, the rumor mill had gone wild that day. Guys were looking at Reid smirking, probably the same shallow guys that thought Reid was only with Aubrey in the first place to piss off the Provost. And while it was partially true it wasn't why they were together.

Aubrey got to her next class took herself all the way up to the top of the stairs and moved down to the corner seat, she didn't have to worry about seeing Reid and his red cheek since without fail her father had made damn certain they didn't share any classes.

Silently she hoped they'd done the right thing. The plan was to break up and wait till her eighteenth birthday to get back together. After that her father really couldn't do anything. She planned to move out and get emancipated from her father, since her inheritance would mean that she could fully support herself.

Hopefully nothing would go wrong. Hopefully Reid would still be interested, she had to take the risk of letting him go for now, to get the rest of her life back and keep her father off her back until graduation. Aubrey hoped Reid would still want her come the end of the year.

AN: Ok I know shorter then everyone is use to but I wanted to get this posted. I have been having some writing blockage right at this time cause I know where I want it to go I just can't figure out how to get there, so don't hate me if the updates take a bit longer then usual. Anyways there's a pic added of Aubrey's bathroom in case you all were wondering maybe what it looks like. It's on my page. And I added a pic of Reid's car as well...ok let me know what you think, I know this chapter is mostly a filler chap, sorry guys and gals!


	8. Promise, Promise

Chapter 7: Promise, Promise

"So what's there to do in this tiny ass town?" Val asked. She lay on her roommates bed on her back tossing a baseball up and letting it fall back in to her hands.

Aubrey who was laying on Val's bed on her stomach doing some homework shrugged. "The only thing to do around here is Nicky's and that is out of the question."

"Why?" Val inquired ceasing her actions and rolling on to her side to face Aubrey, her head supported by her hand.

"Nicky's is Reid's thing." Aubrey muttered.

Val rolled her eyes and got up from her roommates bed and walked towards her closet. "So what? It's been three weeks since your fake-break-up, you guys haven't seen hide nor hair of each other and I know you miss him."

"Exactly, I miss him. If I see him I'll want to do things I can't."

"Ooo kinky." Val teased.

Aubrey scoffed. "Val be serious. I want to be with Reid, I can't, seeing him just makes it that much harder." She said softly.

"Get your ass up we are going." Val insisted. "We are going to have a good time, because quite frankly this is the first time in two years I haven't had a curfew and I want to enjoy it."

"I can tell you how to get there, I'll even let you take my car." Aubrey told her.

_Flash back:_

_"You'll find your keys on your desk." Aubrey heard her father as she passed his study. She paused and looked in._

_"Excuse me?"_

_"Your car keys, they're on your desk in your room. I heard about you and Reid." He said casually, he didn't even care._

_"Oh and you are all sorts of torn up for me aren't you dad. Does this make you happy? Does me being miserable suit you?" Her voice steadily rose._

_"I told you he would only hurt you." Robert replied callously._

_Aubrey scoffed. "I wish mom was hear instead of you!" She yelled angrily and stormed down the hall to her room. She slammed the door and threw her body on her bed._

_End Flash back_

"No you are coming with me and we are going to party until we puke!" Val said throwing an outfit on top of Aubrey's back. Aubrey reached back and grabbed the clothes and looked them over.

"This is actually really cute." Aubrey said lightly.

Val grinned. "Come on you know you want to wear it..." She said teasingly.

Aubrey sighed getting up from Val's bed and headed in to the bathroom. Val's roommate who she'd seen a handful of times had requested a single room transfer. And Val knew it was because of her sexual preference, the girl had seemed a bit uncomfortable around her every time they were in the room together, but Val brushed it off. If people didn't like it that wasn't her problem.

When Aubrey came out Val was dressed in a black romper, that criss-crossed in the front and was decorated with rhinestones. On top of the bottom half wear a small pair of light jean shorts with frayed edges and she wore her favorite pair of boots. Val liked to call them her biker boots, cause they looked like worn down leather.

"So?" Val asked looked herself over in the mirror as she tossed her bangs to the side.

Aubrey nodded. "Suits you, but you go to Nicky's like that you're definitely going to get attention."

"That's why I have this." Aubrey watched as she slipped on her black leather jacket. "And you look great in my clothes as per usual." Val said nicely tossing her a white leather jacket with black stripping down the sleeves and a black design on the back. "This should work with that outfit."

Aubrey wore a black, rough cut edge halter top, a pair of wide leg jeans that hung low on her hips exposing her mid-section and now the jacket. She was soon hand a pair of black peep toe sling backs by Val and slipped them on.

"Good, now let's go." Val said with a grin pulling Aubrey from the room. Aubrey barely had time to grab her keys from Val's desk before being dragged away.

Nicky's:

"Val I don't know maybe I shouldn't be here." Aubrey said as they headed up to the front entrance of Nicky's.

Val grabbed Aubrey's hand firmly in her own and pulled her the rest of the way to the entrance. "You are going in! That's final." She said like a stubborn ten year old. Aubrey got a good chuckle from the image of a small child of ten stomping her foot and crossing her arms frown/pouting at their parent saying 'that's final.'

Pulling Aubrey in after her Val seemed satisfied she'd got the second guessing girl in and released her wrist. "Wow this place kicks ass." Val told her.

Aubrey shrugged. "Come on I'll introduce you to Nicky." Nicky had always been nice, sweet even, to Aubrey. He told her once she reminded him of someone he knew long ago, that had passed away. He'd never tell her who but Aubrey got the feeling she was someone Nicky had loved dearly, because when he mentioned it he'd get a distant look in his eyes and they'd gloss over a bit, but he never cried. He was Nicky, big and tough bar tender with a baseball bat to keep out the riffraff.

They made their way through the crowd, guys taking notice to the girls and girls whispering about them since Aubrey had Val's hand firmly grasped in her own. At one time having rumors spread about her had bothered Aubrey, but now she couldn't find herself caring. She'd been the talk of the rumor mill for years now and the more she let it get to her the more rumors that went around. So she'd decided when she came back to just not care. As long as she knew truth from fiction that was all that mattered.

"_...Isn't that Amber's lesbian roommate?_"

"_Yeah maybe they're together now._" Aubrey knew Val had heard those two girls sitting at the bar when she felt her try and pull away, but she yanked on Val's hand and looked back at her shaking her head. Val was reluctant at first about not going over and setting those girls straight, but she didn't want to cause Aubrey any more problems, so she did nothing.

They both sat down on some barstools, Val noticing Aubrey's quick glance around before she turned to look at the burly bald man just down the bar. "HEY NICKY!" She yelled sweetly. His head turned up and he grinned walking over.

"Well if it isn't little Aubrey. I heard through the grapevine you were back." He said with a kind smile.

Aubrey smiled back. "Yeah. Nicky this is Val, she transferred in from Brinley when I transferred back."

Nicky nodded at her. "Nice to meet you." Val smiled. "So what do you want it's on the house?"

"Oh Nicky you don't gotta do that." Aubrey said sweetly. "I'm good for it."

"I know, but consider it a welcome home." Nicky said.

Aubrey nodded and looked at Val. "Two cokes, thanks." Val ordered. Nicky nodded and walked off to get their drinks. Val and Aubrey spun around on their bar stools so that they were facing the crowds, the pool tables to be more specific.

"Oh." Aubrey said softly and the looked in another direction. Val seemed confused and looked up at where she'd been looking and saw Reid with a pool stick in one and hand a girl under his other arm.

Val shook her head. "Aubs you don't know what it's about." She said lightly.

Aubrey looked over at her. "It's whatever, you know. I think on some level I knew if I let go that he'd find someone else. I mean girls are practically lining up to date the new 'sensitive' Reid Garwin. The guy who practically screamed the ear off one of the school guards just for a girl."

"Aubs seriously, maybe she's just..." Val trailed off and this brought Aubrey's attention back to the pool tables and she saw Reid kissing the girl. Aubrey turned in her seat when she heard their glasses been placed on the bar by Nicky.

"Can I get you ladies anything else?" Nicky asked.

"Not unless you can serve me alcohol." Aubrey said sarcastically.

Nicky shook his head. "That I can't do." He said. Aubrey sighed and nodded and Nicky walked away.

Val opened her leather jacket and reached in to the inside pocket and slipped out an 8 oz. black flask. "Here." She said grabbing Aubrey's drink and holding it bellow the bar so that no one would see her pour whatever was in the flask in to the cup. The cup liquid brimmed the top of the glass she ceased and set it on the bar again slipping the flask back in her pocket looking around making her sure no one saw and then she stirred Aubrey's drink with the straw placed in it.

"What is it?" Aubrey asked Val grabbing her glass and looking at it skeptically.

"Would I ever steer you wrong? It's Cherry Vodka." Val informed her with a grin. "If you don't drink it I will."

Aubrey sipped from the straw, she continued till the glass was nearly half empty. "You know if you get caught with alcohol at Spencer you get in-school suspension, confined to quarters for three days." Aubrey said playfully disapproving of Val's flask.

Val grinned. "Awe shit, they'd probably expel me with the amount of alcohol I've got stashed in that room." She joked.

Aubrey giggled as she downed the last of her drink. Nicky, being the great bartender he was, noticed her drink was empty and brought her another right away. Aubrey smiled at him as he took the empty glass away with him. Looking expectantly at Val, the brunette sighed. "One more that's it." She said.

"Ok." Aubrey agreed. Val did the same as before and Aubrey sipped slowly from the straw this time. Having never been a drinker she was starting to feel the affects of the alcohol only a short time later. When her glass was empty she looked at Val and gestured her head towards the restroom sign. Val followed her after setting her empty soda glass on the bar and they went straight in to the girls bathroom shutting the door behind them.

"Something you need to say?" Val asked.

Aubrey looked at her pleadingly. "Give me the flask, please?"

Val shook her head. "No."

"Val come on, please, I just...every time I look over there, there they are." Val knew who she was talking about, you'd be an idiot not to. "I just, you brought me here you owe me. I didn't want to come remember?"

Val groaned. "I hate you for guilt tripping me in to this. Give me your keys." Aubrey grabbed her keys from her jacket pocket and switched with Val as she pulled the flask from her inner jacket pocket.

Aubrey opened the flask and took a sip, hissing as the vodka slipped down her throat. "Thank you." She muttered.

"Just don't drink the rest of it, I don't want to have to sneak you in to your house or the dorms." Val said lightly.

Aubrey grinned. "Don't worry."

One Hour Later:

"Aubs!" Val grunted and Aubrey stumbled over her own feet, almost falling but Val had caught her. Aubrey was giggling like mad.

"That could've been embarrassing!" She laughed.

Val groaned. "You drank it all didn't you?"

"Nooooo..." Aubrey shook her head grinning. "Ok that's...not true." She said taking a few steps with Val supporting her body weight on one side.

"Damn it Aubs."

"'Damn it Aubs.'" Aubrey mimicked thinking it was funny.

Val growled as she walked towards the pool tables. She'd seen a picture of Reid with that Tyler guy and Aubrey said she'd talked to him a couple times in her first couple years of high school and he was a nice guy. Val still didn't know many people and the ones she'd talked to while Aubrey was getting hammered on 8 oz.'s of cherry vodka, the lightweight that she is, were already slightly wasted.

"Erm..." She paused as Aubrey launched herself at the tall brunette giggling.

"Tyler!" She laughed.

Tyler turned gripping her waist so she wouldn't fall. "Aubrey?"

"Hi, we haven't met yet I'm Val her friend from Brinley." Val introduced herself while Tyler tried to keep Aubrey from tilting side to side. He nodded.

"Yeah Reid had pictures. Um nice to meet you, but what happened to her?" He asked. Aubrey was fascinated with the zipper on his jacket trying to stay still but her body was swaying all on it's own.

Val made a face. "Cherry Vodka, thanks to your dickhead of a friend. I was trying to cheer her up and I said two drinks and then she guilted me in to the damn flask."

Tyler winced in sympathy. "Did she use the eyes?"

Val nodded. "Yeah."

"Reid said they are lethal. And what's this about him being a dickhead?" Tyler asked.

"Aubs saw him kiss that girl he was with, by the way now they've disappeared, and she was depressed." Val explained simply.

Tyler shook his head. "I don't know where Reid went."

"Reid's an ass." Aubrey said all of a sudden lifting her head to look at Tyler and Val. "He never loved me." She said getting angry. "That asshole." She growled. She tried to move away from Tyler but stumbled over her feet again and drunkenly braced herself for the fall but the ground never even came close, since someone caught her.

Aubrey was sent in to another massive fit of giggles, her previous anger forgotten. "Jesus Aubrey." She paused looking up at who'd caught her and spoken. There was Reid in all his beanie and fingerless glove glory. She saw the angered look on his face and she started giggling again righting herself and stumbling towards Val.

"Did...you see?" She said to Val.

Val shook her head. "See what?"

"He looked like he cared there for a second! Bravo!" She practically shouted looking over at Reid clapping her hands sardonically.

"Is she drunk?" Reid asked.

Val looked at him loathsomely. "Where's your skank?"

"Woo go Val!" Aubrey screeched erupting in to another fit of giggles and started to walk off.

Val looked at Tyler and he went after Aubrey making sure she wouldn't hurt herself or anyone else. Val looked at Reid. "Well?"

"Who?"

"The skanky blond we saw you with an hour and a half ago, which I might add you've been gone for 45 minutes with." Val snapped.

Reid looked at her. "Kelly?"

"Skankzilla, what's the difference?" Val said bitterly. "Let me guess you were practicing CPR in the backseat of your car?" She added snidely.

"No." Reid defended quickly. "Kelly needed a lift home so I took her."

"Right." Val said disbelievingly.

Reid scoffed in annoyance at her attitude. "It's the truth."

"Fine why'd you kiss her?" Val snipped.

"I didn't kiss her, she kissed me. And for your information she came with a friend tonight and her friend ditched her so she was hanging with Tyler and I. How was I supposed to know she'd kiss me. One minute I'm standing there waiting to make my shot and the next she plants one on me." Reid said irritably.

Val rolled her eyes. "Tell that petty bullshit story to someone else, don't lie Reid."

"I'm not!"

"Aubrey saw dumb ass, I think you shattered her heart into itty-bitty pieces." Val said lowly as she stepped closer to him.

Reid glared at her. "Look I'm glad your protective and shit." He hissed under his breath. "But don't accuse me of lying. I did nothing wrong. You are the one that let Aubrey get drunk."

"You kissed another girl." Val retorted.

"Not by choice." Reid argued.

"Her biggest fear is you realizing you can do better and not wanting her." Val told him angrily.

Reid shook his head, massaging his right temple and then looked at Val with sincere eyes. "Of course I want her. Why the hell would I go through all this bullshit if I didn't?" He said having calmed himself a bit. His cell phone rang and he pulled it from jacket pocket and brought it to his ear. "What?"

_"Reid can you get a bottle of water from Nicky and have Val bring it out back?"_

"Why?" Reid asked.

_"Aubrey's not feeling so hot anymore." _Tyler told him.

Reid shook his head. "Yeah we'll be out in a minute." He hung up shaking his head and looked at Val. "Aubrey's sick now."

Val shrugged. "It's a lesson she had to learn, I told her not to drink the rest of it." Val and Reid made their way over to the bar, their argument on hold for the moment as they both thought of Aubrey.

"Nicky can I get a water please?" Reid asked. Nicky pulled one from beneath the counter in a cooler and handed it to Reid. Reid dropped a five on the bar. "Keep the change."

He and Val made their way down the hall that contained the bathrooms to the back door and out into the alley.

"She's pretty much stopped puking now." Tyler told them. Aubrey was leaning back against the building head in her hands. Tyler stood next to her and she looked up at the newcomers.

"Aubs I told you not to drink all of it." Val said snatching the bottle from Reid and walking over to her. She took the cap off and handed it to her. "Here."

Aubrey took the cold water and practically guzzled it till it was half empty. "Aubrey basically purged all the alcohol from her stomach, so the effects she start wearing off soon." Tyler said.

Val shook her head with a sigh. "Remind me never to give you alcohol on an empty stomach when your depressed."

Aubrey gave a tight smile as she brought the water bottle back to her lips and sipped again for only a second, savoring the cool liquid sliding down her sore throat. "Remind me never to drink alcohol again period." She grunted.

"Guys can you give me and Aubrey a minute?" Reid said to Tyler and Val. Val looked skeptical to leave Reid and Aubrey alone but Tyler just nodded his head at her and they walked back in to Nicky's. "Sweets, what is wrong with you?"

"Oh don't start with me. I turned to alcohol you turned to a blond, what's the difference?" Aubrey scoffed. She took another drink of the water and then Reid handed her a piece of gum. Aubrey took it, unwrapped it and stuck it in her mouth.

"Difference is I had no choice about Kelly kissing me. She kissed me, I didn't kiss back." Reid told her. He placed his hand on the wall next to her head leaning down a bit to her eye level. "Her roommate left her here, she was hanging out with Ty and I and she kissed me. Afterwards it got awkward and she asked me to take her home. I took her home."

"You were gone longer than a drive to Spencer or a house in town Reid." Aubrey said shaking her head.

"Yeah I was, she left her keys with her roommate so I kindly helped her pick the lock to her dorm room, which I might add I am not a genius at like everyone seems the think. It took a little while to do it." Reid replied a small smirk on his lips.

Aubrey looked down away from his gaze. "You swear that's all?" She asked.

"Swear. Like I told Val why would I go through all this bullshit if I didn't want to be with you? Hmm? I'm sorry you saw her kiss me and took it the wrong way." He said lifting her chin.

"Right now I'm sorry I drank all that Cherry vodka, later I'm sure I'll be sorry for taking that kiss out of context and for calling you an asshole." Aubrey murmured.

Reid chuckled resting his forehead against her. "You look really good tonight." He said lightly.

"Reid someone might come out." Aubrey said lightly.

"Sweets that's half the fun though." He said huskily. Reid kissed her cheek lightly, his free hand tucking her long hair behind her ear before moving down to the side of her neck. Just then the back door of Nicky's opened and Reid quickly moved back from Aubrey.

"Oh hey, sorry didn't mean to interrupt." Reid shook his head looking up at the intruder.

"You didn't Chase. What's up?" Reid said casually.

Chase looked curiously between the two and then his eyes landed on Reid. "Caleb's looking for you."

"Isn't he always." Reid said sarcastically. "Tell him I'll be in, in a minute I just want to make sure Aubrey's ok."

Chase nodded. "That's cool." He nodded then his eyes fell on Aubrey. "You're the provost's daughter right?"

Aubrey scoffed before turning her face to look at him. "Yeah, unfortunately for me."

"I think we have advanced chem together." Chases said conversationally. Aubrey shrugged as she caught the sour look playing on Reid's face.

"If you say so." Aubrey said a bit annoyed that he hadn't left yet. "Look Reid I'm fine. Val's going to drive us back to the dorms and I'm going to crash with her."

"You sure, I hate to leave you after you puked up the pacific." He joked.

Aubrey gave him a small smile. "Positive. Go have a good time don't let your ex-girlfriend tie you down." She said lightly.

Reid nodded. "Are we ok?" He asked realizing Chase was still watching and the girls, Kate and Sarah, had told him everything about Reid's 'break-up.'

Aubrey looked at him and bit her lip. "Not quite, but just give me a little more time."

"That's fair." Reid kissed her cheek and Aubrey stood fully from the wall. With that Reid walked back in to Nicky's with Chase leaving Aubrey to return on her own.

With Reid:

"So that's the girl you broke up with?" Chase asked as they made their way threw the bar.

Reid nodded. "Yeah." He said. "She drank a little tonight, I just wanted to make sure she was ok."

"Sure..." Chase mocked.

Reid smirked and shoved him. "Shut up."

Week and Half Later

Thursday

With Aubrey:

Aubrey yawned as she made her way in to class. "I thought you were meeting me for breakfast this morning?" Val asked as Aubrey took her seat.

"Sorry, I slept in." Aubrey told her.

Val nodded. "It's cool. I ordered your Halloween costume last night."

"Jesus, am I going to regret letting you find my costume?" Aubrey groaned dropping her head on her desk.

Val laughed. "No I was a good girl. Here." Val handed Aubrey a tootsie pop. "Hopefully the sugar with help wake you up."

With Reid:

"I don't know how you managed to get transferred in to this class Reid." Tyler said as they walked in to their first period class together.

Reid grinned. "If I tell you, you wont be able to lie to Caleb."

"Reid." Tyler hissed.

"I didn't say anything." Reid defended sardonically.

Tyler shook his head. "Man, why?"

Reid looked around the room and his eyes landed on her. Tyler followed his gaze and rolled his eyes. "Alright class, Mr. Garwin and Mr. Simms please take your seats." Mr. Norman said as Aubrey's head turned up Reid saw her shocked face at seeing him in her class.

He winked at her discreetly and followed Tyler up to his seat at the top and Mr. Norman's lecture began.

Ten minutes in to the class all of Reid's attention was on Aubrey, his head lay to the side rested on his arms, his eyes on her. More specifically her lips and that damn lollipop. Aubrey obviously had no clue what she was doing to him. The way she pulled the lollipop from her mouth, her lips savoring the sweetness, was driving him completely mad. Fantasies playing through his head...

Fantasy:

_**Aubrey stood before him in nothing but a black silk nightie, her hair flowing down in curls over her shoulders. She held a lollipop to her lips and smiled at him. "I've been very bad...Mr. Garwin..."**_

End Fantasy

"Mr. Garwin...Mr. Garwin?" Reid snapped to looking up to the front of the classroom. "Care to share what's on your mind Mr. Garwin?" Mr. Norman asked.

Reid smirked and shook his head. "Nothing appropriate professor."

"Mr. Garwin please refrain from daydreaming in my class and pay attention."

"Will do." Reid saluted sarcastically.

Friday:

With Aubrey:

Feeling suffocated in the cafeteria Aubrey left Val to go to the library. Once back in her corner, in her old spot she sighed with relief resting her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. "Figured you'd come here." She heard a very familiar voice whispering as the new comer sat down beside her.

"Anyone see you?" Aubrey asked turning her head and looking into those blue eyes she'd fallen in love with. They were so calm, when they looked upon her. She loved that about them. Those eyes had the ability to bring her to her knees in a second flat. They could make her heart rate increase and sometimes bring her heart to a complete stand still. Yeah she loved those eyes.

"I'm like a ninja..." Reid said jokingly sending Aubrey back a few years prier...

Flash back:

_Sinking down the wall to the floor Aubrey sighed in relief, the weekend had been incredible. Somehow she'd managed to wake up next to Reid with her clothes on, she thought jokingly, the morning after their first kiss. Well more like first kisses. It had been completely shocking, but she wouldn't lie and say she'd hadn't wanted it._

_"Thought I'd find you here." _

_Aubrey turned her head as the uniform clad class bad ass took a seat next to her on the floor. One leg stretched in front of him the other drawn up, his right arm rested on his knee casually. "Anyone see you?" Aubrey questioned._

_Reid looked over at her and smirked. "I'm a ninja. Invisible when I want to be." He said jokingly turning his body towards her._

_Aubrey giggled. "A ninja huh?"_

_Reid smirked. "Yep." He leaned towards her. Aubrey grinned as he pressed his lips to hers._

End Flash back

"Hey, where'd you go?"

Aubrey shook her head slightly and smiled at him. "Trip down memory lane." She said lightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to see you." Reid said turning and looking at her as his hand came up to brush the stray hair, that wouldn't pull back into her high ponytail, away from her face.

"Thought you saw enough of me first period yesterday." Aubrey said looking at him teasingly.

Reid chuckled softly. "That obvious?" He asked.

Aubrey shrugged. "I always know when you're staring at me. I can practically feel it." She said grinning at him.

"Damn lollipop." Reid said under his breath with a smirk.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "What?"

"Nothing. So you going to fall fest tonight?" Reid asked.

Aubrey shook her head. "No. Dad asked me to as a favor to him and I asked him to take the stick out of his ass as a favor to me. Sticks still there I'm not going."

Reid grinned at her. "You're becoming a regular hard ass. Getting in to arguments with the Provo, smarting off to teachers, slapping people, getting drunk..." He trailed off. Aubrey laughed lightly at his joke. "You might actually take my title."

Aubrey giggled. "I highly doubt that."

"Well I have to go." Reid said. He looked worried his whole demeanor changed in that instance.

"What's wrong? You sound...fearful." Aubrey said picking up on the things no one else could when it came to Reid Garwin.

Reid looked away from her. "Ah it's nothing."

"Must be something." Aubrey said turning her body to face him.

"Pogue was in a bike accident he's in the hospital." Reid said lightly.

Aubrey gasped. "Oh Reid, I'm so sorry. Is he ok?"

Reid nodded. "For the most part, but he's bruised up pretty bad. Kate went to the hospital, severe allergic reaction to some sort of spider bite. Pogue was on his way to see her when he wrecked, going way over the speed limit."

Aubrey gently tucked her hand behind his head and put the other on his cheek. Reid turned to look at her. "You ok?"

"I'm fine. Sarah insisted we go tonight, Pogue and Kate wouldn't want us hanging around the hospital depressed." Reid spoke softly his hand coming up and cupping Aubrey's that was on his cheek.

"Sarah's the new transfer, Kate's roommate right?" Aubrey asked.

Reid nodded. "Yeah her and Caleb have this thing. He told her things he hasn't told anyone." He said a bit bitterly.

Aubrey gave him a playfully grin. "Well you've told me things no one else knows."

"Yeah, but there's things you don't know." Reid said looking in to her brown eyes.

"Some secrets can't be shared." Aubrey said with a shrug. Reid moved his hands to her waist picking her up and moving her so she was straddle over his legs. "What..."

"Pogue's accident made me realize bad things can happen any time. I just, I wanted to see you and make sure you were safe." Reid said seriously.

Aubrey's hands were now both resting on his shoulders. "I'm fine."

"Maybe sometime soon I'll be able to share all my secrets with you." Reid added.

"Reid you stopped making sense five minutes ago." Aubrey said sweetly. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Why would you think that?"

"You're acting strange. At first you're you, then you get serious and now you're talking about secrets, is something wrong, something you're not telling me. Are you sick? Are you moving away?" Aubrey said a bit panicked.

Reid rubbed his thumbs gently along her jawline, his hands cradling her face. "No, no, none of the above I'm just...It really did just hit me we can be taken away from this world at any time and I just wanted to see you. Make sure you're ok, tell you I love you..."

"Reid if you keep saying these things I'm just going to worry. What's wrong? Tell me please?" Aubrey pleaded.

He leaned forward kissing her softly. "No worries, I'm just overreacting."

"When have you overreacted?" Aubrey said softly resting her forehead against his.

Reid kissed her again. "Everything is fine I promise."

"Promise, promise?"

He nodded. "I promise, promise. Guess I better go before someone finds us." He whispered.

"Text me later?" Aubrey said moving back to sit beside him.

Reid kissed her cheek. "Can do. I'll tell Pogue you said get better."

"Tell Pogue I said get better." Aubrey repeated jokingly. Reid stood and he was gone, but Aubrey couldn't shake the feeling that he had other things on his mind besides what they'd just talked about. But she'd meant what she said 'some secrets can't be shared.' If he wasn't ready to tell or if he didn't want to tell her she wouldn't force him. But the feeling that something worse was going to happen bothered her.

AN: Hey all, so this chapter was up quicker then the last. Hope you all enjoyed the little bit of drunk Aubrey, I just thought it would be amusing. Anyways again another filler chapter, trying to get passed the time frame the movie is set in. I will add pics to my page for Aubrey and Val's wardrobe to Nicky's. And just to clarify, no Aubrey doesn't know about the Sons yet. I hope that was made slightly clear at the end of the chapter. Anyways ok I think that is all for now, let me know what you all think! I might hold the next chapter hostage if I don't get enough reviews. I know I'm so cruel, lol but lots of people read and don't review. I'd love to know how everyone is like that chapter! Please REVIEW!!


	9. Demon Eyes

Chapter 8: Demon Eyes

"Damn it Val." Aubrey said annoyed. She was walking towards the dormitories, since Val had called and told her she'd left her chem book in Aubrey's car and that she needed it to finish a paper that was due Monday. Aubrey parked just outside the dorms and saw cars lining along the front streets, students walking dressed nicely for the fall fest.

This hadn't been the plan for her night, she was going to stay home eat popcorn and watch cheesy chick flicks while she waited for Reid to text her. But Val had to make it difficult. Well it wasn't that bad, it could be worse she could be at the fall fest with her father right now. That was laughable.

Making her way in to the dormitory and up the stairs to Val's floor Aubrey carried herself with determination. Mostly determination to get the hell out of here before someone saw her and told her father that she was here. He'd surely pull her to the party if he knew she was here. And she hadn't dressed in sweats like any normal teen girl, she wore a black long sleeve empire waist scoop neck top, and a simple jean skirt.

Why was she dressed so nicely? Well she'd been doing laundry when Val called and asked her to bring her book over, so all of her jeans were in the wash, her t-shirts were the next load to go in so she was left with 'nice' clothes.

Finally she reached Val's dorm and knocked. The door swung open two seconds later and Val frantically held out her hand for the book. "Gimme." She said.

Aubrey giggled. "You look like a kid asking for a cookie, what paper is so important?"

Val looked at her and sighed. "Ok sue me I enjoy chemistry."

"Val that doesn't surprise me, it's the only class you have a B plus in."

"Oh, well in that case I'm getting a head start on that project for Monday's class. I asked Professor Kirk about it and..."

Aubrey broke out in full laughter. "You actually asked, damn I thought you liked it not loved it."

Val scoffed. "Sue me." She bit out.

Calming herself Aubrey patted Val's shoulder. "Look your secrets safe with me. As long as you don't tell anyone I still enjoy literature class."

Val nodded. "Then we are agreed."

"Don't you think it's odd we're closet class likers." Aubrey said jokingly.

Val laughed. "Well we can't be bad ass all the time, I mean we have to be interested in something right?"

"True. So I am going to go."

"You look nice, got a date tonight?" Val asked teasingly.

Aubrey shook her head. "No, not unless Ryan Gosling counts."

"I'm more the Rachel McAdams type." Val said smirking at her.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I figured you'd say something like that. My everyday clothes are in the wash, so I had to throw this on."

"Well have some popcorn for me, I ran out and didn't make it to the store in time to pick up..." Aubrey pulled out a popcorn pack for Val and handed it to her. Val grinned. "How'd you..."

"You told me yesterday you were down to your last pack of popcorn, I figured you would want some for studying." Aubrey said.

Val smiled. "If you weren't totally in to guys I'd pull you in this room and show you how much I love you." She joked.

Aubrey laughed. "Catch it on camera, might make a good birthday present for Reid."

"Did you seriously...no...I could've sworn I just heard reference to a dirty lesbian porn film..." Val said sarcastically.

"Shut up Val. I was joking and you know it."

"I know. Let me dream though."

Aubrey shook her head but there was a smile on her face. "Ok I really want to go now."

"Then go. I'm just going to be a complete chem nerd tonight anyway." Val said. Aubrey turned and left leaving Val to shut the door. As she walked down the hall she saw the new guy, carrying a girl. A girl in a beautiful ivory gown with blond hair. It looked like Sarah.

"You just had to try and be smarter then me." Chase said angrily. Aubrey ducked around a corner, Chase obviously hadn't seen her. She looked around the corner and saw his eyes flash with fire and then turn completely black, she covered her mouth before she could gasp as the dormitory doors behind him slammed closed. Aubrey had both hands over her mouth now, standing completely back against the wall inching herself closer to the dark corner of the small hallway, next to the stair well that led to a small janitors closet. She looked around the corner one last time and saw Chase's eyes still black and quickly, quietly moved under the stairwell since he would be walking right passed where she was.

When she heard his footfalls pass and make their way completely down the hallway, Aubrey pulled the sidekick from her back pocket of her jean skirt and messaged Reid.

**Where are you?**

_Fall Fest, where are you?_

**Dorms, Reid I'm scared.**

_Why something happen? Are you ok?_

**I saw...something. Please just come meet me. **

_Ok where exactly are you?_

**I'll meet you on the roof.**

_I'll be there in five._

Aubrey closed the screen on her phone and moved out from beneath the stairwell and started heading up. When she came to the roof entrance she walked through a gust of cold wind making her realize she'd left her long sleek black trench coat in the car. A few moments passed, thoughts running through her head, until Reid came out of the entrance door. "Hey. What's wrong?"

Aubrey turned to him and she looked frightened. "I saw...and they were...it was so...demonic!" Reid knew when she started talking like that something was wrong.

"What?" Reid asked. "What did you see?"

"His eyes." Aubrey said softly. Her arms hugging herself for warmth, her body stepping from foot to foot nervously, her eyes on the ground. Reid shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders holding it closed as her head moved up her eyes locking on his. "His eyes were pitch black." She whispered.

Reid's eyes grew for a split second before he said anything. "Who's eyes Aubrey?"

"The new guy, Chase I think. He...he was walking down the hall, carrying Sarah. Oh god I hope he wasn't...his eyes there was fire and then blackness. It was...demonic." She said lightly shaking her head.

"Did you happen to see where they went?" Reid asked.

Aubrey shook her head and shrugged fearful tears gathering in her eyes. "No."

"Shit." Reid hissed.

Something about the worry in his voice made Aubrey look up into his eyes. "Why? What's going on? You know something Reid tell me." Aubrey said a bit frantically.

He looked at her. "I don't want you to look at me differently."

"What do you mean? Reid tell me what's going on. Why did Chase carry an unconscious Sarah away and why were his eyes black?"

Reid sighed. "Aubrey you got to believe me, I didn't want to tell you this way."

"Tell me what?" Aubrey asked.

Reid hung his head for a moment gathering his thoughts completely, he knew he had to tell her now, if he waited she'd later think something bad and he didn't want that. At least now he could explain without her completely freaking out. Hopefully. "Sweets." Aubrey was looking at him as he lifted his head, his eyes flashed fire and then melted to black. Aubrey screamed softly in surprise moving back only to hit the ledge with her knees and started to lose her balance backwards. Reid grabbed the arms of his coat, creating a cradle around her and pulling her back away from the ledge. When they were far enough away she looked at him unmoving. "Say something?" Reid asked.

Aubrey opened her mouth to speak several times, like a fish out of water. "The stories?" She asked quietly.

"Some are true." Reid said his eyes fading to blue.

Looking at Reid she could see the emotions in his eyes. Fear, sadness, longing... "So you are telling me, that you're a...a witch?"

Reid bit his lip and nodded his hands nervously clenching and unclenching. "Look I didn't want to tell you like this."

"But you were going to tell me right?" Aubrey asked looking at him still a bit confused.

"Yeah." Reid nodded. "Yes I've wanted to for some time now, but you see this covenant that our ancestors created, is meant to be a secret. We weren't allowed to tell anyone, with the exception of our wives. And until recently Caleb was a real hard ass about that. I wanted to tell you before you got taken away I asked them to support me and Caleb said there was no way I could tell you cause I didn't know then if I was going to marry you or stay with you in the long run. He couldn't risk exposing the covenant."

Aubrey licked her suddenly dry lips. "And Chase?"

"It's a long story Sweets. Short version Chase is part of the fifth bloodline that was believed to have ended long ago, somehow he tracked down his biological father who told him about the covenant, his father willed him his power and thus died. Chase is addicted to it and came looking for us to get our power thinking somehow it's going to save him."

Aubrey put her arms through the sleeves of Reid's jacket and ran her hands through her hair looking up at the pitch black clouds. "I feel like there's so much more I don't know." She said. She brought her eyes down from the sky brown locking on blue.

Reid gave her a tight lipped smile. "I've got time to tell you, if you want to know."

Seemingly contemplating her options Aubrey walked up to Reid, her eyes level with his chest before lifting to his. "I want to know, but won't Caleb be upset?"

Reid scoffed. "Like I give a shit if he gets upset. He told Sarah, granted the Chase situation didn't help, but he's only known Sarah for a short time. I have to tell you it's dangerous if you know, Sarah learned that the hard way obviously." He hung his head looking at his shoes.

"Don't you know I like a little danger Reid Garwin, I fell in love with you didn't I?" She asked jokingly to lighten the mood. Reid chuckled faintly lifting his head and looking down at her.

"You ask and I'll share whatever you want to know." Reid suggested.

Aubrey nodded. She walked over and sat down so her back was against the ledge she's almost fallen over. The cement rooftop was not very comfortable but it was private. Her and Reid had been on that very roof several times...

Flash back:

_"Do you believe in destiny?" Aubrey asked randomly sitting on laying on the ledge on her stomach, head rested on her folded arms turned to face Reid who was sitting on the roof knees drawn to chest arms wrapped around them. _

_Reid shrugged. "I don't know, why?"_

_"It's just funny to me that out of our entire class you're the only G and you always come before me." Aubrey explained though Reid didn't understand._

_"What?" He asked._

_Aubrey giggled softly. "Whenever our Professors call roll, they say Garwin...Higgins, don't you find that the least bit strange, it's like we were fated to be next to each other in the grand scheme of things."_

_Reid chuckled. "Sweets you read way to in to things."_

_Aubrey sighed as she stood, Reid instantly doing the same thing. "Guess you're right." She said turning and looking out on the grounds._

_"You're making me nervous standing there, would you come down?" Reid asked nicely._

_Deciding to have a little fun Aubrey turned to face him and started to walk grapevine along the ledge. "Why is this making you nervous? Scared I'll fall to my doom."_

_"Aubrey I'm serious get down." Reid insisted. He walked up to her and held out his hand to help her down, but Aubrey ignored him._

_"Would you catch me if I slipped?" Aubrey said with a grin._

_Reid nodded. "Yes if I could, but I don't want to risk it, please get down."_

_"I like it up here though, it's a rush."_

_"Yes but I hate heights, no one knows that so now would you please come down from there." Reid pleaded._

_Aubrey smiled at him and took his hand jumping down off the ledge onto the cement flooring of the roof. "Happy?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Afraid of heights?" She asked teasingly._

_Reid glared at her, but it lost some of it's aggression since he wasn't really all that made at her. "Let's just put it this way, I wont be jumping out of any planes or going bungee jumping any time soon." He said through slightly clenched teeth._

_Aubrey put her arms around his waist and tiptoed up kissing him softly. "Secrets safe with me."_

End Flash Back

"So where do you want to start?" Reid asked sitting down next to her.

"I guess we'll start with the how and work out from there." Aubrey said softly.

"No one really knows how the power came to be." Reid told her. "Once the witch trials began though it had to be hidden so our ancestors moved here to hide. Now in every generation the first born male will inherit the power. It only goes to the males though, don't really know why."

Aubrey gave a slight nod. "So what exactly happened to make your ancestors think the fifth bloodline was deceased?"

"John Putnam was burned after being identified as a witch." Reid explained.

"Ok but that doesn't really explain how he got an heir to pass on bloodline." Aubrey said just a bit confused.

Reid made a slightly disgusted face. "That's where it gets a little...well weird. You see when John Putnam knew his death was imminent he cast a spell upon himself so that he could return after death as an incubus to a woman named Goody Pope..."

"So you're telling me a dead guy impregnated a woman in her sleep?" Aubrey said a little sick to her stomach at just the thought.

"Unfortunately yes." Reid said shaking his head.

Aubrey wanted to gag. "Oh ew." She said lightly. "So tell me about this power. What can you do? How does it work?"

"I'm not sure exactly how to explain it. It's like second nature for us four. We have to learn to control it but once we do all we have to do is want to do something, think about it and it happens."

"What can you do with them?" Aubrey asked again.

Reid looked over at her and then his eyes burned fire and bled black, then faded to blue. "Look at your shirt." He told her.

Aubrey looked down pulling one side of Reid's jacket from around her and sure enough, her shirt was blue it had been black just moments before, then it was black again and Aubrey looked up in time to see the black bleed away from the corner of his eyes. "You can do anything?"

"Within reason. There's always a catch."

"Catch?" Aubrey questioned.

Reid nodded. "We can do anything we want, the problem is the more power we use the more it wears down our body. We age faster when we use a lot. I guess I should tell you how it is." Aubrey smiled and nodded. "When we are thirteen we get a small portion of the power compared to what we will get when we ascend at the exact time we were born on our eighteenth birthdays. The power itself is seductive and if you aren't careful it can be addicting."

"Before or after you ascend?" Aubrey asked.

Reid shrugged. "Both in a way. Before it's like this little voice whispering at you to just use and then after the voice is screaming. It's harder to stop once your addicted as well. Two of the covenant fathers have died in their mid forties looking like their a hundred years old. Tyler and Caleb both lost their father's to it, they use the least. Pogue always says he's in no hurry to lose his looks."

"And you?" Aubrey asked.

He bit his lip. "Caleb would say I am addicted or damn near it, but I'm not. He's says I use to much, that I'll die right after I ascend, and I'm reckless with my abilities. But truth is I don't use as much as he thinks, small things from time to time, never anything huge and I'm probably more in control of how much power I exude then he is."

Aubrey looked over at him with soft chocolate brown eyes. "So I haven't got anything to worry about with you?"

Reid chuckled and shook his head. "No."

As if it suddenly smacked Aubrey in the head. "Oh shit Sarah! Chase had her." She said looking at Reid in a panic.

"Nothing we can do Sweets..." Just as he said that his cell phone rang, the caller ID said Caleb and the time Reid 12:27 a.m. "Hello?"

_"Reid it's Caleb."_

"No shit. So?" Reid asked.

_"He's gone, I think."_

Aubrey looked at him and Reid smiled. 'I'll explain.' he mouthed to her. "Caleb is Sarah there?"

_"Yeah Chase had her, how'd that happen Reid?"_ Caleb sounded angry.

"Sorry man turned away for two seconds." Reid said regretfully. "Uh speaking of..." Reid told Caleb what had happened with Aubrey and then Caleb was silent.

_"So she knows?"_ Caleb said.

"Yeah." Reid replied.

_"She wont tell?"_

"Nope."

_"Fine. I mean it Reid she better not tell."_

"She wont." Reid said getting a bit angry. "Unless you lost the memo she loves me, I don't think she'd want me imprisoned and burned to death."

_"Reid..."_

"No Caleb you told Sarah and you haven't known her nearly as long as I've know Aubrey. If you want to worry about someone worry about her." And with that said Reid hung up. "God he pisses me off sometimes."

Aubrey scooted close to him and put her head on his shoulder and grabbed his hand entwining their fingers together. "I wont tell a soul."

"I know. I trust you." Reid said kissing the top of her head.

"So what exactly happened tonight?" Aubrey questioned Reid. So Reid told her everything about the last couple of days, the truth about Pogue's accident, and Kate going in to the hospital. He told her all of it. And before Reid knew it, Aubrey had fallen asleep. So he carried her downstairs to Val's dorm room and knocked.

"Fucking christ it's three in the morning..." Val complained as she unlocked the door and opened it to find Reid, Aubrey cradled against his chest. Val stepped aside and let him in and he carried Aubrey over to the empty side of the room's bed. He lay her down removed her shoes and pulled the covers over her body, leaving his jacket on her. "Should I even ask?" Val said smirking at him.

Reid shook his head and grinned back. "Not what you think." He said with a yawn. "We met up and sat up on the roof and talked."

Val nodded. "Somehow I believe you. Night Reid."

"Night." And with that Reid left the dorm room for his own and when he got there Tyler was already asleep. He crawled in to bed not even worrying about his attire and kicked his shoes off on to the floor and then fell asleep, exhausted from the evening he'd had.

The Next Morning:

With Aubrey:

Aubrey had woken up in Val's dorm assuming Reid had taken her there, since Val was still asleep and practically dead to the world at the moment Aubrey could really ask. So she helped herself to a pair of Val's faded form fitting jeans that had several worn holes in them and a plain gray t-shirt. She made her way in to the hall and headed towards the girls bathrooms.

Hopefully the shower would help relax her and clear her mind. She'd taken in a lot of information the night before. After getting to the showers Aubrey found a stall and walked in, she stripped off her clothes setting them on a bench inside and then turned on the hot water.

With Reid:

The knocking on the door was driving him insane and Tyler obviously was sleeping right through it. So he pulled himself from his bed and made his way over to the door. Unlocking it and pulling it open he found Aubrey, her hair was still damp and she was wearing different clothes, he assumed to be Val's. "What brings you by?" He asked with a tired grin.

Aubrey moved in to the room not having spoken a word and turned to him as he shut the door. "If you can do anything why didn't you fix this mess?" She asked.

"I'm sorry?" It was more like a question of confusion.

"This mess, you and me, why didn't you fix it?" Aubrey clarified.

Reid sighed. "Sweets it doesn't work that way. Yes I can do anything I want, but that would involve messing with peoples state of mind and that is dangerous, and no matter how much I hate your father I couldn't do that."

Aubrey sank down on to the end of his bed with a sigh. "Guess you're right, I wasn't thinking clearly." She said lightly.

Reid moved towards her bending down on one knee in front of her on the floor and he looked into her eyes. "Believe me I thought about fixing it my way several times Sweets."

"It's nine a.m. On a Saturday are you two seriously having a discussion?" Tyler groaned.

Aubrey giggled. "Sorry Ty." She said softly. She looked at Reid. "I should go." She added a bit quieter.

Reid rolled his eyes. "Text me later?"

"Don't I always." Aubrey stated playfully. She stood up, helping Reid up as well and stretched up kissing his cheek. "Bye."

"Bye."

Three Weeks Later:

"So did you hear?" Val asked sitting down next to Aubrey in their sixth period class.

Aubrey looked at her. "Hear what?"

Val smirked and pulled the flier from her messenger bag and handed it to Aubrey. "Halloween Party, by your one and only!" She added excitedly. "Apparently Mr. Garwin and Mr. Simms have been slipping those small four by ten fliers in to lockers and on car windshields. Provost has called Reid in to the office apparently."

Aubrey grinned and shook her head. "It's against school policy to promote an event that is not school related."

"I saw a nice Benz pulling up out front." Val said a bit quieter.

A sigh broke from Aubrey's lips and she handed the flier back to Val. "His mother."

"Well I guess the parties over then." Val said a bit dissatisfied.

"No. I'm sure Reid will still have his party, his parents say no he does it anyways."

"Sounds like the type. But how is he going to pull it off if his parents already know he's going to throw it?" Val questioned.

A devilish grin broke out across Aubrey's lips. "His parents always spend the Halloween holiday in the Bahamas. His mom doesn't really care for Halloween all that much, Reid told me once it had to do with a traumatic experience as a young child."

Val's grinned was back. "So you going?"

"Yes, if I can sneak out."

"Easy tell your father you are staying the night at my dorm." Val said. "Come on you have to go, I ordered you the best costume and it will not go to waste."

Aubrey smiled. "Fine. When are you going to tell me about this costume anyways?"

"When is Halloween?" Val retorted teasingly

"I have a feeling I am really going to regret this."

"Reid wont." Val muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Aubrey questioned having not heard her.

Val shook her head. "Nothing."

AN: Short chapter I know again very sorry, but this chapter leads in to the next witch (LOL pun intended) is the Halloween Chapter! Things are going to get a little...hot...hope you all liked this chapter, I thought of a couple different ways for Aubrey to find out the 'secret' and this was just what I went with. So let me know what you think, I love hearing from readers, I'll admit I am a review whore, but reviews help me keep up my creativeness and help me determine what people are liking and disliking. I like it all, from good to bad, feel free to tell it like it is really. Please! Ok lates!


	10. I Want A Touch and I Want A Kiss

Chapter 9: I Wanna Touch and I Wanna Kiss

Halloween

At Spencer:

Aubrey was walking down the hall ignoring the majority of the students around her. "Aubs!" She paused and waited for Val to come up next to her and then they kept walking. "I was asked to deliver this." Val handed her a folded piece of notebook paper. Aubrey opened it and read silently to herself.

_Sweets,_

_Library at lunch._

_-R_

Thinking it odd for him to be sending her a note Aubrey became a little intrigued. "When did he give you this?" Aubrey asked quietly folding the note and slipping it in to the binder she was carrying.

"During American government." Val responded as they walked in to their photography class together.

Aubrey nodded. "I wonder what he wants." She thought aloud.

Val smirked over at her as they took their seats at their table. "To get in your pants." She said teasingly.

"Val!" Aubrey half scoffed half laughed. "That's so bad."

Val just laughed with a shrug of indifference and then the class bell rang. Aubrey found herself less then immersed in her digital photo editing, her mind preoccupied with what Reid could possibly want. Why would he want to see her? He knew they couldn't be seen around each other right now her father had been watching her like a hawk, making sure she hadn't disappeared to get a Halloween costume. He told her that she wasn't to step foot on the Garwin property or she'd be in serious trouble.

Aubrey, knowing he didn't know Val had ordered her costume, replied that she didn't even have a costume for Halloween and it was a Halloween costume party. Finding some logic in her claim he'd stopped mentioning it. Aubrey had just mentioned the night before Halloween that her and Val would be at the dorms all night watching horror films and eating popcorn. Higgins had been skeptical at first but Val had called several times that day to go over 'movie night' plans with Aubrey.

So her father was none the wiser that the duo would be attending the Garwin Halloween party. And that's the way Aubrey planned to keep it, so she'd told Val to tell Reid not to come around or her father would assume they were making plans to meet up for the night.

After her photography class Aubrey left Val to go to lunch and she headed in the direction of the library. When she got there she said hello to the librarian and headed back to her regular spot, and surprisingly enough Reid had beat her there.

"Hey." She said softly sitting down next to him. Reid kissed her cheek.

"Hey."

"So what's so important?" Aubrey whispered.

Reid grinned. "Just wanted to make sure you were coming tonight?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "That's why you wanted to meet me, Reid if my dad had..."

"I just want to know what you're wearing." Reid said.

Aubrey smirked. "Well unfortunately that is a well kept secret even from me." She replied quietly.

"How could you not know?"

"Val ordered it. Though she said it's perfect for me." Aubrey told him. "I'm not allowed to see it till this evening when we get ready to sneak away from the dorms to your less then prestigious party." She said in a teasing manor.

Reid leaned forward kissing her softly. "I love your sarcastic wit."

"I'll see you tonight then?" Aubrey questioned.

"Yeah." Reid said standing up. "See you."

That Evening:

"Aubrey I mean it, I don't want you anywhere near the Garwin home tonight." Her father said sternly as she walked to the door, packed messenger bag hanging at her side.

"Yes father I get it." Aubrey growled. "I'll be at Val's till about two tomorrow then I should be home." She said clipping the sentence so that she wouldn't need to talk more then necessary."

"I sent off your college applications yesterday, we should be hearing back around January or February, have you made any decisions as to where you want to go?" Her father questioned from behind her.

Aubrey looked over her shoulder. "Brown, if they accept me."

"Good staying close to home." Mr. Higgins said but mostly to himself.

"Not for you." Aubrey muttered just loud enough for him to hear as she opened the door. "Bye."

"Goodnight Aubrey." With that Aubrey left.

Val's Dorm:

"_That's_ what you got me?" Aubrey said looking at it incredulously. "You can't be serious!"

Val smirked at her and nodded. "I am completely not kidding. This is your costume and if you want to go tonight you have to wear it."

"Val I can't wear that." Aubrey said.

Rolling her eyes Val shoved the costume that was on a hanger into Aubrey's chest. "Yes you can. It'll look hot! Have you seen mine?" She said holding hers up.

Aubrey looked at it. It was a sexy referee's costume that consisted of a black and white fitted top, that showed the playboy logo on the front pocket, lace up sides, black skirt and black knee high socks. Aubrey looked at her costume and bit her lip. It was also a playboy costume. It included a corset top, full sleeves and back lacing, pull-on skirt with ruffles and built in petticoat. The other accessories included a head scarf and eye patch with the playboy logo in rhinestones on it.

"And these too." Val pointed to a pair of black mid cafe boots, with white strips, which Aubrey assumed went with Val's outfit, and a pair of knee high leather boots that were for hers. "So? Come on you gotta have a little fun."

Aubrey sighed and nodded. "Fine." It was eight and the girls didn't really need to be ready to go before nine, but they started getting ready anyways. Once dressed in their costumes they did their hair, Val's was simple, her hair was a bit longer then when Aubrey had left her at the beginning of summer, but still manageable and easy to do. Aubrey just pulled her hair in to a loose side braid, the highlights in her hair winding through the braid was definitely different.

"Wow, you look hot." Aubrey blushed as she set down her eye liner pencil. "And these and this." Val set a pair of lace, lace up fingerless gloves in front of Aubrey on the edge of the sink and a simple black lace mask that would cover her eyes. "Since you wont be wearing the head scarf and eye patch.

Aubrey smiled at her. "Thanks."

Val nodded. "I got me some too. We are going to be the hottest bitches at the party."

"Great." Aubrey said sarcastically.

Garwin Home:

"Welcome Ladies." A young boy, couldn't have been older then a freshmen said as he bowed holding the door open for Aubrey and Val.

"You're kidding?" Val said chuckling softly. "Did Reid hire you to do that?"

The kid stood straight up and scratched at the back of his neck nervously, he was dressed in a all black suit. "Actually he said 'do it or else'."

Aubrey giggled. "Hey go enjoy the party, Reid wont do anything." She told him.

The kid looked hopeful. "I'd rather air on the side of caution."

"I promise you he wont do anything, if he tries he can deal with me." Aubrey smiled at him kindly.

The boy closed the door and gave another bow. "Adieu ladies." He said and walked off to the party. Aubrey looked over at val through the eye wholes of her black lace mask.

"I can't believe him." She said shaking her head and letting out a short laugh.

Val grinned. "I like his style." She said looking around, the house was definitely decorated for the holiday. Fake cobwebs hung up in the high dome like ceiling of the main entrance. Several Halloween party decorations were streaming from the ceiling as Aubrey and Val made their way further in to the home.

Spencer students were spread from one end of the house to the other, blue plastic cups in some hands, music blasting from built in speakers. Teens were dancing wherever they saw fit, not caring if they might be in the way. They were just enjoying the holiday. Girls were dressed in sexy numbers, even more revealing then Aubrey and Val had on and guys were dressed up in costumes as well.

"Look who showed." Aubrey turned her head and grinned.

"How'd you know it was me?" She asked pointing to the mask.

Reid grinned as he walked towards her and leaned down to her ear. "I'd know those lips anywhere?" He whispered huskily.

A brighter grin appeared on her lips. "And what are you supposed to be?" She said ignoring his obvious attempt at seducing her and looked him over.

He wore a black dress shirt, black slacks, a white tie and gray converse. His hair was also ruffled enough that hairs stuck a bit on end. "I am handsome." He said grinning at her.

Aubrey laughed. "That isn't a costume."

"Well I don't usually dress up. Speaking of which..." He said standing up and looking over her outfit. "I like it."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Of course you would."

"You two ladies can be my escorts for the night." He said offering them his arms and each looked at the other. Val shrugged and Aubrey just shook her head laughing with amusement as they both linked arms with him.

"Aaron Carter?" Val said looking across Reid's chest to Aubrey.

Aubrey turned her head and shook it her lips twist in to a playful grimace. "No Billy idol?"

Val shook her head. "To old. Oh David Beckham?"

"From his longer hair days, perfect." Aubrey nodded.

Reid looked between them confused. "What are you two going on about?"

"Who you look like, so that you are actually in costume silly." Val said playfully.

This made Reid frown. "And the first thing you came up with is Aaron fucking Carter?" He growled teasingly.

Val smirked and shrugged. "Well..."

"But we agreed on David Beckham from his longer hair days." Aubrey put in as they reached the kitchen. She let go of Reid's arm leaning back against the counter. Teenagers were all over the place, some were dancing in the corner of the kitchen, another couple was laying on the counter making out.

"Yeah so that counts for something." Val put in as Reid started getting them drinks.

"And..." Aubrey said.

"Well look what we have here." Aubrey stopped and looked over smiling at Tyler who was dressed up like an airplane pilot, less the hate though.

Aubrey giggled. "What are you captain of the mile high club?" She asked jokingly.

Tyler grinned. "Halloweens all about dressing up for what you wish you could be right?"

"Sure." Aubrey shrugged.

"So what did you think Reid was? We were putting money on Aaron Carter." Tyler said sarcastically. Reid looked over his shoulder glaring at his best friend.

"Shut up baby boy."

"No we agreed on David Beckham." Aubrey told him with a smile.

Tyler snorted. "Reid can't play soccer to save his life."

"And you can't get girls." Reid said back bitterly.

Aubrey and Val just laughed at their little spat. "Hey Reid great party." Reid, Tyler, Val, and Aubrey saw the other four walk in. Pogue was dressed like a gunslinging cowboy, in dark leathers, and Kate was much the same. Sarah and Caleb were probably the cutest couple ever. Caleb wore a musketeers costume minus the feathery hat and Sarah was dressed in the female version of the same thing, long white skirt instead of pants, but it was obvious from her height next to Caleb that she wasn't intending the costume to be literal, she was wearing heels. Which would be hard to fight crime in.

"Well don't you two look sickeningly sweet." Reid said sarcastically.

"Reid!" Aubrey said swing her hand out and hitting him in the chest, hard.

Reid chuckled. "What?"

Aubrey looked at them through her mask. "You guys look great." She said kindly.

"Well thank you." Sarah smiled at her. She looked at Val. "I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Sarah, this is Caleb, Kate and Pogue." She gestured the others while she shook Val's hand.

Val smiled. "Valerie, but don't call me that unless you want to loose a limb." She said jokingly.

Aubrey shoved her. "Stop it. She's a teddy bear really, you should see her with Kat." She said shaking her head.

"Kat?" Kate asked.

"Her girlfriend." Reid put in quickly with a smirk. "We should invite Kat to Ipswich for the Christmas holiday." He said deviously.

Aubrey smack his chest again. "You just want to see them make-out."

"What guy wouldn't?" Reid asked sardonically.

Pogue and Tyler started to nod with grins until Kate and Sarah turned their accusing stares on them. Pogue clammed up and his grin faltered as he scratched the back of his neck nervously under Kate's stare.

"Wimps." Reid muttered.

Aubrey giggled at the scene and turned to Reid. "Dance with me?" She asked.

Reid stopped making their drinks grabbing Aubrey's arm and pulled her to the living room around all the other partiers in his house. Someone had put on Shakira's Hips Don't lie and Aubrey and Reid started dancing. Song after song they were lost in each other's movements for what felt like hours to them but was not. Forty minutes or so after they started dancing a slower song came on and couples started swaying about to it. Aubrey turned around wrapping her arms around Reid's neck and his slipped effortlessly around her waist.

Aubrey rested her head on Reid's shoulder and his lay lightly atop her head. But it didn't take long for the moment to be ruined. "Aaron and his boys are here." Aubrey and Reid broke away when Tyler came up along side them.

"I'm going to use the restroom." Aubrey told Reid and he bent his head and kissed her cheek.

"I'm gonna find Abbot and his friends and get them the hell out of my house." Reid told her.

Aubrey smiled up at him before walking off to go down to his basement apartment. When she opened the door leading inside she saw none other then Aaron Abbot and he was snooping. "Um excuse me you're not supposed to be down here." Aubrey told him.

Aaron looked up from where he was obviously looking for something in the bookcase in the corner. "Aubrey, right?" He said putting on a, what he thought to be, charming smile and he started walking towards her. "Thought you and Garwin broke up?"

"We did, but we're on good terms." Aubrey said taking a step back. "But you can't be down here."

"I'm just looking for a pocket watch Garwin won off me at pool last week." Abbot told her. Aubrey didn't believe it, he was probably trying to find something on Reid that would get him expelled from Spencer or maybe worse, something to hold over his head. Aaron Abbot always hated being second to Reid, even when she wasn't dating Reid Aubrey knew that. Hell all of Spencer knew it. "You know you're actually very pretty."

Aubrey moved aside when he reached out to touch her face. "You need to leave."

Aaron smirked. "That watch has been in the family since my great-great-grandfather. I have to get it back." He said and he moved another step towards her, and Aubrey stepped back unfortunately she forgot she was in front of the half open basement door and she stumbled back shutting it. "Nervous or something?" Aubrey got a rather obnoxious sent of alcohol from his breath.

"I'll ask Reid to return it." She said a bit anxiously. Trying to side step so that she could get away from him, he was practically caging her in to the door.

"Garwin would never return anything." Aaron said looking her over. "So how 'bout you skip out of here with me and we go do something fun."

Feeling a bit of confidence Aubrey gave an unladylike angry scoff. "Like what, going back to your dorm?"

"For starters." Aaron affirmed with a nod.

Aubrey shook her head. "No. You need to leave."

"Come on things are just starting to get interesting here." Aaron leaned forward and Aubrey shoved him away and turned grabbing the door handle. She pulled it open and suddenly felt Aaron grab her wrist pulling her back in to Reid's basement and swinging her around to slam her against the wall.

"What are you gonna do? Hmm, fuck me against my will?" She spat more confident then she felt.

Aaron chuckled. "Your really hot when your pissed off." He said smugly then leaned down pressing his lips against hers. Aubrey struggled against his hold on her hands and then in seconds flat she felt his lips leave hers and she heard a loud crash just before opening her eyes.

Reid was standing in front of her, his body language clearly stating how pissed he truly was and Aaron was sitting in the center of what use to be Reid's glass coffee table. The wood frame around the glass was still standing as Aaron lay there in a daze.

Turning around Reid looked at Aubrey with concern. "Are you alright?" Aubrey nodded mutely. Reid turned back when he heard the glass start to crunch and move around and saw Aaron starting to get up, all be it he kept stumbling, but he was slowly succeeding. "You stay the fuck away from her Abbot or I swear I'll kill you." He said angrily.

Aaron's lips twitch into a lopsided grin. "What's the deal Garwin, she ain't your girl anymore?" He said sardonically and cruel.

Reid took a calming breath, he couldn't let his anger get the best of him. He would not use on Aaron all though at the moment he wanted to. "She's still my friend." Reid bit out agitation clear in his voice.

"Oh I'm sure Higgins would love to hear that little fact." Aaron snarled.

"You so much as say a world, I'll tell him you tried to force yourself on her." Reid retorted.

"And while he might not like Reid, if I back him up my father will throw you to the pits of hell." Aubrey said glaring at Aaron.

Aaron glared at her and then at Reid. "Get the hell out of my house, before I throw you out. And take your friends with you." Aaron stepped out of the mess of the coffee table and stormed his way to the door and up the stairs. Reid looked back at Aubrey and saw her slide down the wall to sit knees draw to her chest on the floor. "Sweets you ok?"

Aubrey looked up at him and reached up slipping the mask from her face and set it down beside her on the floor. "Physically yes, mentally no. Aaron Abbot, the nastiest most disgusting pervert in the entire world just had his hands and lips on me. I feel so disgusting." Aubrey said in a rush.

Reid knelt down to her and reached forward cupping her face in his hands. "He'll never do it again Sweets. Anything I can do, to make you feel better?" He asked kindly.

"Let's go back to the party. Forget this happened." Aubrey said her brown eyes looking at him sorrowfully.

"You sure?" Reid questioned.

Aubrey nodded. "Positive. Please let's just go back upstairs and have a good time." Reid let go of her face and she reached out grabbing his hand and he pulled her up. Reid bent down and grabbed her mask and gently slipped it on her. "Am I good?" She asked jokingly as he looked at her face with such care.

He smiled. "You look beautiful." Aubrey took his hand again and they headed upstairs back to the party.

"Saw Abbot and his guys leave." Tyler said as they came out of the basement.

Reid nodded at him and walked Aubrey back to the living room where they'd been and he took her in his arms and just held her and swayed.

After midnight came and went partiers began ushering out at random. Val made her way over to the still dancing couple. "I'm beat." She said.

Aubrey made a pouty face. "But Val, just a little longer?"

"Aubrey I'm exhausted, we partied it up. Your Baby boy can hold a lot a liquor." She laughed.

Reid chuckled. "There's lots of guest rooms upstairs feel free to crash."

Val shrugged. "Ok." She made her way upstairs."

"Reid man we're out. Going to take the girls back to the dorms and head home." Pogue said walking over with the other three. "We put Baby boy upstairs in a room, Val got him so wasted." He chuckled lightly.

Kate giggled. "Ya, he tried to kiss me. It was cute."

Reid smirked and shook his head. "Baby boy needed some fun."

"Well we are so tired. Thanks for the party Reid." Sarah tiptoed up and kissed his cheek before returning to Caleb's arms.

"Later man." Caleb said and they left.

Reid looked around, the place was littered with trash, but looking down at Aubrey Reid didn't care. The only real reason he'd continued with the party was so that they could spend some time together. In all honesty he was surprised the police hadn't shown, he would've thought for sure that Higgins would call the cops and tell them about the illegal party. But alas the night had gone rather smoothly, except for the Abbot thing, but he wasn't going to be bringing that up again as long as Aubrey just wanted to forget.

"Come on let's get you to bed." He said kissing her softly.

Aubrey followed Reid, her hand firmly grasped in his as they made their way back downstairs. Upon entering the door Reid's eyes melted to black for a split second and the coffee table fixed itself. Aubrey shut and locked the door. "Reid?"

Reid turned and was met by a pair of familiar full glossy lips. Without hesitating he kissed back fervently. When she pulled away her arms were around his neck, his around her waist. Aubrey smiled up at him.

"What was that?" He asked softly.

"Thank you, for coming down here when you did." Aubrey said moving up and kissing him again. Reid broke away and started kissing down her neck, words forgotten now.

Aubrey pulled the mask from her face throwing it aside quickly as Reid backed them towards his bedroom. Once inside he pulled away looking at Aubrey. "I love you." Reid told her.

"I love you too." Aubrey whispered just as he bent his head capturing her lips again. The couple stumbled their way to the bed. Aubrey broke away giggling as she flopped back on the bed. "I can't breath in this thing." She said.

Reid smirked previous mention of earlier completely forgotten. "Well let me help with that." He said huskily as he bent down over her, his lips moving to her ear, his teeth nibbling diligently while his hands worked to free her of the costume.

After a few moments and a few heated kisses Aubrey stood and pushed the costume completely off, leaving herself in the boots, a pair undies and a bra. Aubrey sat down on the bed and began removing her boots. Once those were off she noticed Reid hadn't said anything and looked up at him. He was just staring at her hungrily.

Aubrey stood back up and looked up at him. "Reid?"

"I um...I..."

"Reid I...I just I'm...not ready for sex, but I don't see why we couldn't try other things." She said her gaze fixing on his tie out of nervousness.

"Bre if this is just cause of tonight..."

Aubrey shook her head. "It's not, not really. I just, I've wanted this..."

Reid sighed his fingers lightly tracing up and down her left arm. "We don't have to do this tonight." He said lightly.

Aubrey looped her fingers through his belt loops. "I want to."

"Why tonight?" Reid questioned.

"Honestly I've dreamed about doing things with you..." She said lightly. "And tonight somehow just feels right. I don't want you to say no, but if you don't want to it's ok."

Reid lifted her chin and he smiled his eyes genuinely full of care. "Say no, to you? Are you kidding me, that's impossible with you standing here in Calvin Klein."

"How'd..."

A smirk formed on Reid's lips. "Do you honestly think the times you left me alone in your room I didn't look in your pantie drawer?"

Aubrey grinned at him. "You are such a pervert."

Reid's hands fell to her waist. "But you love me." He said wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"That I do." Aubrey said lightly as he bent his head pressing his lips to hers. Aubrey's hands moved from Reid's waist up to undo his tie and after she got it loose enough they broke away and Reid removed the tie completely. Their lips met again, passion getting the better of them and while Aubrey pulled the hem of Reid's shirt from where it was tucked into his slacks, Reid unbuttoned the offending article slipping it off as soon as the buttons were completely undone.

Aubrey's hands had since moved on to his belt but Reid's hands took hold of her wrists ceasing her movements and he broke away from her lips again, breathing heavily. "What?" Aubrey breathed worriedly.

"You sure?" He replied looking in to her eyes.

A smile lifted the corners of her lips and their was lustful love in her eyes. Aubrey pulled her left wrist free of Reid's grasp and lifted his hand placing it over her heart covered in her own. Reid could feel the rapid thud of her heart and it made him want her even more, just knowing he could do that to her. "You feel that?" She asked softly. "I want this with you and only you."

"Bre I have to admit something to you." Reid said lightly. "I've never been with another girl before. Well sort of but that was a long time ago and it shouldn't have happened."

Aubrey smiled. "Reid I don't care about that. You're the only guy I want to be with regardless of whether your experienced or not." She told him. "But one, seriously I thought you were the great Reid Garwin?" She said it in a teasing manor and Reid grabbed her around the waist and pushed forward making them both collapse on the bed. Aubrey giggled. "Ok I'm sorry please don't tickle me."

Reid looked down at her and grinned. "You sure you don't want me to tickle you?" He said huskily.

"How'd I fall for the dirty talker?" She said smiling back at him.

"Just lucky I guess." Reid told her.

Aubrey grinned. "So what are you wearing Ralph Lauren or Ed Hardy?"

"Guess you'll have to find out for yourself." Reid said smirking as he stood back up. Aubrey sat up, Reid's bed was high enough that her face was level with his chest even while sitting. She reached forward grabbing his belt buckle and began undoing it again while Reid leaned down dropping kissed along her shoulder and up her neck. Aubrey let out a soft moan as his lips, teeth and tongue came in contact with her ear.

She finished undoing the fasteners of his slacks and pushed them down his legs. Reid had already kicked his shoes off, while they'd been in a frantic frenzy about his tie and shirt and he simply just stepped out of his slacks and Aubrey giggled. "Ralph Lauren, nice." She said as Reid moved to face her their lips just centimeters apart. "Maybe I should right 'property of...' in all your underwear." She teased.

He smirked at her moving forward kissing her softly as his hands were pressed in to the mattress on either side of her thighs. "Only if I can write it in yours." He replied softly.

"I don't think my other boyfriend would like that very much." Aubrey said giggling as Reid's fingers pushed aside the strap of her bra on her left shoulder and then skimmed down her arm back to the mattress, his lips leaving a trail along her shoulder.

"Tough." Reid said and he pulled away still leaned down looking her in the face again. "How far do you want to take this?" He asked her sincerely.

Aubrey looked at him. "Underwear stay on." She said softly.

"Whatever you want." Reid said honestly.

Reaching behind her back Aubrey unhooked the back of bra. "But this can go." Reid didn't look away from her face as she slipped her bra off. He could see the red tint of her cheeks spreading down her neck, but he didn't dare follow or he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself. He thought it best to gradually work his way to that, in hopes that he wouldn't try and push her to far to soon.

"You're beautiful." Reid murmured moving in to kiss her. Aubrey opened her mouth to him and Reid's tongue slipped inside as she carefully lifted her legs so she was laying on the bed and Reid moved so he was laying over top her keeping his body weight off her as her head sank in to the pillow and his hands fisted into the bed covers.

Aubrey's foot moved up and down the back of his leg lightly as their kiss grew more intimate. Reid's lips smeared a path across Aubrey's cheek down her jawline to her neck and she groaned murmuring his name as he started kissing her collarbone. His arms finally gave a little and he lay his chest against hers groaning at the feeling of her taut nipples pressing in to his bare chest.

Her breasts were soft and supple against his toned chest. His lips moved further down hovering over her delectable breasts and he looked up at her to see her reaction for a split second. Her eyes were closed, a look of ecstasy on her face, her lips parted ever so slightly gentle breaths escaping her lips.

His eyes moved back to her chest and he grinned before lowering his lips to her soft breast, gently sucking her nipple into his mouth and nipping it with his teeth. Aubrey's fingers buried themselves in his blond hair as he sucked diligently at her breast. After a long few moments of pure satisfaction Reid's lips moved to her other breast as his hand moved up to keep her moist breast from getting cold in the cool air.

Aubrey moaned and her back arched out of instinct pressing herself closer to Reid and he grinned pulling away and moving back up to kiss her delicate soft pink lips. His fingers creeping ever so slowly down her body and hovering just over the top of her panties. "Love you." Reid murmured as he kissed her.

"Love you more." Aubrey replied smiling against his lips just as Reid's hand dipped in to her underwear and took the plunge into her soaking core. Aubrey gasped and moaned arching high off the bed but Reid held her down. His fingers working in to her body. A soft whimper escaped her lips as Reid's thumb brushed against her sensitive clit. "God...that feels good." She whispered. Reid's teeth nipped at her ear.

"So tight." Reid murmured in to her ear.

Aubrey grabbed at Reid's hair once again, her other hand resting upon his shoulder, and she pulled his face back to her own crushing their lips together. Reid parted her lips with his tongue, his tongue tangling and twisting and thrusting in her mouth in time with his slender fingers.

Both Aubrey's hands were now on his shoulders, her nails digging in to his skin as the intense aching in the pit of her stomach seemed to increase. Reid's other hand was tracing slow figure eights on the outside of Aubrey's left thigh. "Reid." She whispered against his lips needly after a few minutes more the aching in her body pulsing with want for release.

Reid kissed her harder his thumb brushing just three strokes against her sensitive nub and he could feel her walls squeezing around his fingers before she released her cry of pleasure into his mouth.

Breaking the kiss as her sweet juices spilled onto his fingers Reid kissed down her neck, he could feel the heavy rise and fall of her chest and heard her heavy panting. He could feel his painfully hard erection throbbing for release in his boxers.

"Wow." Aubrey murmured a few moments later as Reid pulled his hand from her panties. Reid rolled off her looking up at his ceiling feeling the sweet stickiness of her on his.

"I need to go take care of my problem." He said lightly. Aubrey didn't let him get far as she rolled over on top of him straddling him to his bed with a grin.

"Let me help." She said seductively and Reid hadn't been expecting her hand to slip in to his boxers and take a hold of his hard pulsing cock.

"Oh god." He groaned as he small hand started moving up and down on him in slow strokes. Aubrey was reaching behind herself to help with his problem, so that she could watch his reaction. "Baby?" Aubrey saw his eyes fall on her. "Squeeze and release."

She grinned and did as he asked squeezing as she pulled up towards the head of his member and released moving her hand back down. "Like this?"

"God yes." She murmured his eyes falling closed again. After a few more minutes Reid couldn't hold it back anymore and he came hard. "Fucking A." Reid murmured breathing heavily. "I think I need to change my underwear now."

Aubrey giggled pulling her hand from his boxers. "Glad I could help." She said leaning down and kissing him.

Reid smirked kissing her back. "I fucking love you."

"Back at you." Aubrey said. Reid sat up moving her from his waist and got up going to his dresser, then disappeared in to his bathroom. When he came out Aubrey was waiting at the bathroom door. "I'm borrowing some clothes." She told him kissed his cheek and pushed him out of the bathroom after walking passed him.

Reid chuckled making his way to his bed. He pulled the covers back and climbed in with a satisfied smile on his face. They hadn't done much but it was satisfying none the less. Aubrey came out a few moments later in a t-shirt of his and made her way to his bed after turning the bathroom light off.

Aubrey climbed inside next him and snuggled up to him. "I'm going to marry you someday." Reid whispered kissing her temple as her head rested down on his chest.

Aubrey sighed pleasantly. "That a guarantee?" She murmured with an exhausted yawn. Her body was so worn out.

"It's a promise." Reid said lightly.

AN: Ok there you go, sorry it took so long. Again I knew where I wanted to go I just needed to figure out how to get there. A few ideas have come to me and there is sure to be some fireworks here in the near future. Let me know what you think! Also pictures for this chapter are up on my page.


	11. Shit, meet Fan

Chapter 10: Shit, meet Fan

December:

"Reid." Aubrey giggled as he nipped at her neck. Reid's hands slipped down and under her school skirt grabbing her ass cheeks in either hand firmly and lifted her up. Aubrey wrapped her legs around his waist. "Val will be back any minute." She said breathlessly.

Reid released her waist, having her pinned to the wall legs around his waist he lifted his hands up to the top buttons of her white dress shirt. Her school sweater vest already laying forgotten on the floor with her school tie. Buttons started getting undone and Aubrey gasped.

"Reid!" She half whispered half shrieked.

A low chuckle escaped his lips. Reid's tongue flicked over the spot where her neck met her collarbone and Aubrey moaned softly. "You just taste so damn good today." He grinned kissing up her neck again and nibbled her ear. "Li...ke sugar cookie dough." He said drawing out the beginning of his sentence.

Another giggle escaped her lips. "Val will be back from the showers any second."

"Could you two not hump each other in my room." Aubrey gasped and looked over at the door and saw Val walk in, she wore short girls briefs, and a black rolling stones t-shirt.

"Sorry." Aubrey hit Reid in the shoulder and he lifted his head kissing her lips softly and then let her slid down his body till her feet hit the floor. Aubrey began rebuttoning her shirt when their came a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Val called as she stuffed her dirty shower towel in the dirty hamper.

"Provost Higgins!" Aubrey's eyes' went wide and she looked up at Val who looked at Reid and then pointed to the bathroom. Aubrey shoved Reid in to the bathroom and shut the door and Val walked over and opened her dorm room door for Aubrey's father.

"Well Provost Higgins what a nice surprise, what brings you to my humble dorm room?" She asked sweetly.

Higgins looked at her accusatory for a moment while she slipped some long track pants on. "I'm looking for my daughter, is she here?"

"Right here." Aubrey pushed Val out of the way and looked at her father slightly annoyed. "Can I help you?"

"I wanted to let you know that we are going to a dinner event at the Danvers home. Mrs. Danvers has personally invited us and you will attend. It's cocktail attire, so you will dress accordingly and I expect you to be on your best behavior." Robert informed her of the facts.

Aubrey looked a bit confused. "When is this party exactly?"

"On the 20th."

"And you felt it necessary to bother me with this information now?" She asked slightly rude in her delivery of the words.

Robert huffed. "I thought you'd need time to shop, so yes I am notifying you now."

Aubrey rolled her eyes but nodded all the same. "Fine. I'll go. But father just to let you know Mrs. Danvers is very good friends with the Garwin's, I suspect Reid will be at the event."

"And you are to keep your distance, I don't need that boy thinking it ok to bring up the past with you." Robert said in a rather arrogant tone that pissed Aubrey off.

"Is that all?" Aubrey asked trying desperately to just get rid of him.

Robert nodded. "Yes. Will you be home for dinner?"

"No I'm going out with Val tonight and then crashing here. And before you object it's not a school night and all my class work is completed." Aubrey said. "Goodnight father." Without letting him answer in return Aubrey shut the door. She looked over at Val and saw her mouth hanging wide open in shock. Aubrey leaned her ear to the door and listened and she could hear the click of her father's expensive shoes on the hallway floor.

"That was...holy shit the most hostile thing I've ever seen." Val said laughing unbelievably.

Aubrey walked over and opened the bathroom door for Reid. He walked out smirking at her. "What?" She asked.

"Now I definitely have a reason to go to that party." He said.

Aubrey shook her head at him but smiled. "I'm sure my father will be watching me like a hawk."

"That makes two of us then." Reid grinned devilishly at her.

"Ok you need to go." Aubrey said grabbing his wrist and pulling him, however reluctant he was, towards the dorm door. "We are going to get ready for Nicky's now."

"So I'll see you there tonight?" Reid questioned.

Aubrey smiled at him stopping at the door. "Yes, now go." She said kissing his cheek and opening the door at the same time before shoving him out in to the hallway and shutting the door. She turned to Val. "You're going to that party with me."

"I wasn't invited." Val said with a shrug.

Aubrey looked at her and smirked. "I'm sure Reid can talk Tyler in to being your escort."

"Aubs." Val whined.

"Nope, you're going." Aubrey said glaring at her playfully.

December 20th:

"Aubrey this is the only thing I have to wear tonight." Val said holding up the a draped neck tattoo printed sexy white mini halter dress and a pair of four and half inch high cork wedge pumps with tattoo paintings on the cork.

Aubrey shrugged. "It's sexy."

"But Aubrey this is an elegant cocktail dinner." Val said.

"You're going. That dress is fine. Pair it with that black cardigan I leant you last week."

Val smiled at her. "Thank you, I didn't want to wear my leather jacket in case it was to hot, that's perfect." She went to walk away and stopped turning back to Aubrey. "My hair is okay for this right?"

Her hair was styled in jagged layers around her face, almost emo-like. "Yes it's fine. I have to go. I need to get ready. Remember Ty will be here to get you in an hour and a half."

"I know. Don't worry I won't ditch you. But you'll probably end up ditching me." Val said smirking at her playfully.

"What does that mean?" Aubrey asked looked at her confused.

Val wiggled her eyebrows. "You and Reid will undoubtedly sneak off."

Aubrey licked her lips a slow grin making it's way on to her face. "Ok I have to go." She said unable to despute the accusation.

"I knew it." Val said laughing as she walked in to her bathroom shutting the door and Aubrey walked out of her dorm room.

Higgins Residence:

"Aubrey are you ready to go yet?" Her father yelled up the stairs. Aubrey walked over to the top of the stairs and grabbed the railing walking down slightly at a turn, so that her heels wouldn't catch on the carpet and make her fall. She wore a stunning black tight fit V-neck halter with lace fabric on the sides. Adorning her elegantly sized feet were simple white peep toe pumps and she held a white Betsey Johnson clutch at her side. She made it to the bottom of the stairs and looked at her father.

"I'm ready." She stated.

He looked at the dress almost wishing it to burn. Aubrey had specifically chosen that dress to piss him off. "What are you wearing?"

"A cocktail dress." Aubrey said matter-oh-factly.

"It's far to short, and that fabric on the sides, anyone can see underneath." Robert said shaking his head.

Aubrey grinned. "What's to see? Maybe I'm not wearing anything underneath." She said and made her way to the hall closet grabbing out her white trench coat.

"Aubrey you will go upstairs..."

"I'm going now, with or without you. Your choice father." She said as she tied the strap around her waist and grabbed the door handle.

Robert sighed and followed her out to the limo he'd hired for the night. They road in relative silence to the Danvers home. Once there Robert looked up at her. "You will be on your best behavior young lady. I mean it. No running off with the Garwin boy, no stealing drinks, no making a complete fool of yourself in front of the most important families in this town. Do I make myself clear?" He asked her seriously.

Aubrey smiled. "Crystal." She said back bitterness hidden behind the sweet smile. She climbed out of the back of the limo stepping to the side and adjusting her dress through her coat, so that it wasn't riding to far up. They made their way to the door and rang the bell.

Caleb answered a moment later. "Provost Higgins nice of you to come. Aubrey, looking gorgeous." He said taking her hand and raising it to his lips, he slipped something in to her palm as he did so and Aubrey smiled at him.

"Caleb." She said kindly. She clutched to the paper in her hand and he helped her remove her jacket while the butler helped her father with his.

"Sarah and Kate are in the library if you'd like to join them. Down that hall and third door to the left." Caleb told her and Aubrey smiled and nodded.

"I think I will. Is that alright with you father?" She asked a bit sarcastically.

Robert made a face at her. "That's fine." He said and walked off talking with Caleb as Aubrey made her way down the hallway to the third door to the left. She opened the piece of paper clutched in her hand and a grin spread across her face.

_Caleb owed me one._

_-R_

She read as she walked in to the library, but Kate and Sarah weren't in there. The only other person in the room besides her was a tall blond standing looking at the bookcase. "I suppose this is Caleb's way of paying off his debt?" She asked. The door closed behind her and Reid turned, she could see his eyes melting back to their magnificent blue.

"It was either that or strip down and streak around the house." Reid said with a grin.

Aubrey laughed softly walking towards him, both hands on her clutch held in front of her. "Well that would've been a sight wouldn't it." She said playfully.

"The only sight I see is you." He grinned as he stepped in leaning down and kissing her softly.

She smiled as he broke away standing up tall. "Well thank you. Father didn't so much care for my choice of dress, but I like it."

"Well it doesn't leave much to the imagination that's for sure. The only thing that's got me curious is what kind of panties your wearing, that lace is a bit see threw." He said looking down over her body.

Aubrey smirked. "Who says I'm wearing panties?" She asked playfully looking up into his eyes.

Reid groaned his eyes shutting as he bit the inside of his cheek trying to think pain over pleasure. "Not fair. I haven't been able to touch you in months."

"Not since that first time." Aubrey said smirking as Reid's hands grabbed her waist pulling her in closer to his body. She tossed her clutch on the sofa to her left and put her arms around his neck.

"And if Ty hadn't have ruined it there, would've been a second time." Reid smirked down at her.

_Flash back:_

_Reid awoke rolling slightly only to find Aubrey at his side, still asleep. It was still fairly early and thoughts of earlier that morning were floating around in Reid's head making him hard all over again._

_Feeling needy he grinned moving his free had up the long shirt of his Aubrey wore to her chest to find it still bra-less. A soft sigh escaped her lips as his hand formed around the plump mound. "Sweets?" He whispered flicking his thumb over her tender nipple. _

_"What?" She whined snuggling closer to him, burying her face in the side of his neck. _

_Reid smirked. "Wake up, I want to see you?"_

_"You see me." She murmured against his skin._

_"No, I want to **see** you and **feel** you." He said a devious grin on his lips as he whispered gruffly in to her ear. He could feel the heat on her chest, a clear sign he'd made her blush._

_Reid pulled his hand from her shirt and wiggled his other hand down to her waist, both hands lifted her up and pulled her over so she was straddling him to his bed. Aubrey willingly going along but still squeaked in surprise._

_"Reid." She said looking down at him. "It's early."_

_"No better time like the present." He grinned having already grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifting it off. Aubrey lifted her arms up as he pulled the shirt off and then set her hands back down his chest as Reid threw the shirt to the floor._

_Reid's eyes bled black and his bedside table lamp came on and he smirked up at Aubrey as his eyes faded back to blue. "Must you leer at me?" She asked teasingly._

_"It's my right as your boyfriend to leer at you, so yes I must." He grinned taking in everything about her. Her soft pale skin, that seemed a shade or two darker then his own. Her perfect breasts, dusty rose nipples, long neck, petite face... Reid sat up shifting Aubrey so she was straddling his lap not his waist and he brought his hands up to cup her face and pulled her in to his for a deep fired filled kiss._

_"Reid man you got any..." Aubrey and Reid broke away and Reid looked over at his bedroom door. Tyler had a hand over his eyes and was stumbling back out of the room. "Shit sorry."_

_Aubrey frantically grabbed for the bed sheet to cover herself and Reid looked about ready to mutilate Tyler. "Baby boy what the hell have I told you about locked doors." he growled getting out of his bed and walking towards Tyler. He grabbed his arm and shoved him out of his bedroom._

_Left alone Aubrey slapped herself in the forehead for being caught and reached down grabbing the t-shirt from the floor. She slipped it on and climbed out of the bed and walked over to Reid's dresser, she grabbed a pair of his pajama pants and slipped them on, pulling the drawstring tight and then made her way over to the other side of the bed picking her things up off the floor._

_"Ok where were we...what are you doing?" Reid asked coming back in the room._

_Aubrey looked up at him. "I'm getting ready to wake Val, so we can get back to the dorms."_

_"But we were just..." Reid said slightly speechless._

_Aubrey bit her lip. "Reid I...I can't...not right now I'm far to embarrassed to even think about that right now." She said softly._

_"I'm gonna kill baby boy." Reid muttered as Aubrey walked up to him._

_"I'm sorry." She said softly._

_Reid sighed and shook his head. "It's not your fault Sweets." He said kissing her forehead._

_Aubrey gave him a soft sweet smile. "Another time?" She stated sweetly tiptoeing up and kissing his lips lightly._

_Reid nodded and kissed her again. "Yeah. I'll walk you out." He said and he did._

_End Flash Back_

"How much do you love me?" Reid asked with a grin.

"Enough to let you do with me as you will, but unfortunately if I don't make an appearance back out there soon, he's going to become incredibly suspicious and come looking for me. And the last thing either of us needs is my father finding you with your hand up my skirt." She said grinning right back at him.

Reid pouted jokingly. "Fine."

The door to the library opened and Kate and Sarah walked in shortly followed by Val and Tyler. "You two might want to cut it out." Aubrey felt Sarah grab her arm and pull her down on to the couch with her and Kate. Val walked over perching on the back of the couch.

Kate started laughing just as Caleb walked in. "Sir really there's nothing..." He looked up and saw Reid was looking at his fathers old collection of the books and the girls were all laughing on the couch. Tyler was just standing there looking casual. "...going on."

"Aubrey, come there's some people I'd like to introduce you to." Aubrey tilted her head back to look at Val and mouth 'save me.' Before getting up and walking with her father out of the room.

The night seemed to drag on. Her father had seemed suspicious the entire night practically never letting her out of his sight. Aubrey didn't speak to anyone her own age, her father was too worried she'd sneak off and meet up with Reid in one of the many guest rooms of the house."Aubrey this is Betsey Newman. She's a professor at Brown University." Robert introduced Aubrey with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you Aubrey, your father says you might be joining us next fall." Betsey stated with a smile.

Aubrey smiled back. "I haven't even been accepted yet, but one can hope. I'd like to attend the same college as my mother did."

"Oh yes, your mother was one of the best students I've ever had. I was very sad to hear from your father that she'd passed."

"Yes well, death is a part of life I always say." Robert said trying to divert the subject.

Aubrey scowled slightly but it went unnoticed and then Betsey reached forward her hand gently taking hold of the dragonfly pendent around Aubrey's neck. "How unique, where on earth did you find such an exquisite piece of jewelry?" Betsey questioned.

"It was a gift." Aubrey said a small smile playing at her lips.

_Flash Back:_

_"Reid it's beautiful, you really shouldn't have." Aubrey said as her left hand held her hair off the back of her neck and the other touched lightly at the pendent resting on the soft skin of her collarbone. _

_Reid's fingers grazed her neck as he moved her hand away from her hair and pulled it back so it rested down her back in long gorgeous waves. She turned to face him and he smiled. "It saw it and instantly thought of you. Happy sixteenth Sweets." He said kissing her softly._

_"You've made this the best sweet sixteen Reid." Aubrey said looking down at the stunning necklace again. "You're wonderful."_

_"Just wear it and think of me." Reid said sweetly._

_"You don't have to worry about that." Aubrey said standing up tall enough to reach his lips and put her arms around his neck._

_End Flash Back_

"Aubrey is that you?" Aubrey turned at the voice and a small nervous smile played on her lips. There stood a beautiful slender blond woman, her hair cut short to her shoulders her blue eyes dazzlingly familiar. And just behind her she could see why they were, cause their stood Reid a grin plastered to his lips.

"Mrs. Garwin, it's good to see you again." Aubrey smiled turning and nodding her head in departure to Betsey and then turning back to Reid's mother. She wore a long black short sleeves scoop neck cocktail dress.

"Aubrey darling I haven't seen you in ages, Reid informed me you'd come home from Brinley, why haven't you been to visit?" She asked kissing Aubrey's cheeks. Robert seemed highly interested in the conversation.

"Reid no longer needs tutoring Mrs. Garwin." Aubrey said and then saw the look her father was giving Reid. "Mrs. Garwin this is my father surely you've met."

"That we have. Good to see you Provost Higgins." Mrs. Garwin, or Melinda, said smiling.

Robert smiled back. "Provost is for school hours, you can call me Robert."

Melinda nodded. "Well you may still call me Mrs. Garwin." Aubrey turned away biting her lip to keep from laughing. It was no secret that her father didn't get along with the Garwin's very well. Her father was always making Reid out to be some sort of demon spawn to them and even they didn't by it. Reid's parents weren't always the most diligent and mindful of their son, but they still knew him and knew that Robert Higgins always just seemed to dislike Reid for some reason. And they'd taken offense to that. "Aubrey why don't you join us for dinner on Christmas Eve? Randall's having a few of his business partners and their wives or girlfriends over to the house, I'm sure Reid will feel alone he could use someone there to talk to."

"Oh I don't know Mrs. Garwin I'd hate to intrude on Christmas Eve." Aubrey said almost regretfully.

Mrs. Garwin shook head. "Oh no, you would not be intruding, consider it a favor to me and Randall to keep Reid out of kitchen driving the maids insane. And how many times have I asked you to call me Melinda?"

Aubrey giggled when her father looked a bit peeved at that, but easily covered it from the joke Mrs. Garwin had made. "A few. Well I don't see as how it'd be a problem, Father and I don't have any plans."

"We do." Robert said.

Aubrey looked over at him questioningly. "Sitting on opposite sides of the house?" She asked sarcastically. "No I think I'll join the Garwin's at least they have a holiday tree up in their home." Robert's face went sour for a split second. "It would be extremely rude of me to decline such an offer, wouldn't you say father?" She felt incredible on the inside. This was quite possibly the best way she could get back at him.

Robert gave an incredibly fake smile. "Correct. It seems my daughter will be joining you for Christmas eve than." He said to Melinda.

Melinda smiled. "Good. I'll have Reid call you with details tomorrow. For now I must go and find my husband I think it's about time we be getting home."

Aubrey smiled at her genuinely. "Father I'm going to help Melinda find Mr. Garwin I'll be back shortly."

Robert scowled as Aubrey, Melinda and Reid walked off. "You poor thing, he's got you on a tight leash doesn't he?" Melinda said bitterly. Something her father didn't know was that Randall and Melinda both knew about Aubrey and Reid long before Robert himself had known, and Reid's parents couldn't have been happier. His grades were up, he'd toned down his rebellious ways and Melinda had taken a clear liking to Aubrey. She told her she had charisma inside her eyes and just drew her in.

"You have no idea. So Reid filled you in?" Aubrey asked looking over at the boy in question.

Melinda nodded as they made their way around the crowds. "You two are not together until further notice. All though I don't know what's wrong with Reid." She said with a scowl.

Aubrey reached for his hand, her father long since out of sight, and their fingers linked. "Absolutely nothing." She said her eyes locking on his briefly.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with with me not accepting his invitation to senior prom?" Melinda said absently.

Aubrey giggled. "My father asked you to prom?"

"I've been trying to come up with a reason he could dislike my son so much and that's the only thing that comes to mind. I was a freshmen and he was a senior." Melinda explained. "He was far to...well serious for me. Randall and I had just met and he was so much more free and out going a lot like Reid is now."

"Who darling?" Aubrey and Reid glanced up to see they'd met up with Randall himself. He was tall like Reid with darker blond hair then his son and wife. He was pale though like Reid and his eyes were a deeper hue of blue.

Melinda kissed his cheek. "You. And on that note, we must go."

"I agree. It's getting late and we have to be up early for that meeting with the Christmas Eve caterers tomorrow." Randall said looking at his watch.

"I've invited Aubrey to dinner for Christmas Eve." Melinda informed her husband.

Randall smiled at Aubrey. "Good, someone to keep Reid away from the kitchen."

"I'm not that bad."

"When you're hungry you are." The other three informed him and began laughing.

"Ha ha yuck it up." He said sarcastically.

Aubrey released his hand seeing her father coming through the crowd. "Aubrey it's time to go. Say goodnight to the Garwin's and get your coat."

She frowned. "I'll meet you at the car."

"Don't be long." Robert stated and walked off.

"Well I guess I must go as well. It was lovely seeing you again Melinda and you to Mr. Garwin. I'll see you both on Christmas Eve." Then she turned to Reid. "I'd say kiss me quick while no one's looking but everyone's looking." She whispered.

Reid chuckled bending down and kissing her cheek. "I'll see you."

"Call me tomorrow?" Aubrey said smiling.

Reid nodded. "Will do. Goodnight Sweets." He said whispering so no one could hear before standing up straight.

"Night." She waved to the Garwin's and Reid as she made her way back through the crowd. The butler handed her, her coat and smiled at her opening the door. Aubrey exited and made her way to her father's limo. Once inside she knew he was angry.

"You've completely embarrassed me." He said angrily.

Aubrey scoffed. "How?"

"You'd rather spend Christmas Eve with the Garwin's." Her father said bitterly.

"Like you had these great plans for us Father. Mrs. Garwin invited me and I couldn't say no it would've been incredibly rude." Aubrey claimed. "And maybe if you weren't always so awful to their son they'd have invited you."

"We are not talking about this anymore, am I understood. You will go you've already agreed. But don't think I don't know what you're doing."

"I'm not doing anything. I met Melinda and Randall while I was tutoring Reid, they liked me, big friggin' deal get over it." Aubrey said and she crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window effectively ending the conversation.

Christmas Eve:

Reid ran down to answer the door, he already knew who it was he'd told her to arrive early so they could watch a movie while the dinner was being set up. He pulled the door open and found Aubrey with tears stains on her cheeks. "What's wrong?" Reid asked her worriedly.

Aubrey allowed him to pull her in to the house by the hand and she looked up at him still silent for a long moment before speaking. "My father's not my real father."

AN: HA CLIFFHANGER BOO YA!! Ok this was pretty much a filler chapter, sorry but ya. So I wanted to get this up cause I wanted a bit of cliffy here. Let me know what you think. Also pics for this chapter up now.


	12. Forgiveness In Life and Death

Chapter 11: Forgiveness in Life and Death

Reid stared at Aubrey unmoving. "Reid darling who is it?" Melinda came up behind Reid as the door fell shut. "Oh Aubrey sweetheart you're here."

Melinda moved give her a welcoming hug but stopped when Aubrey hadn't moved, just continued to stare at the floor. "Uh...Aubrey why don't you go down to my room, I'll be down in a minute."

Aubrey nodded. As if just noticing Melinda she smiled weakly. "Hello."

Melinda watched her walk away and looked back at Reid. "What has that lunatic father of hers done now?" She asked with a scowl.

Reid shook his head. "Mom I honestly don't know. But I plan to find out."

"Dinner promptly at seven. I don't expect you two up here mingling with the guests, Aubrey looks to be in no shape for that. Take care of her Reid."

Reid kissed Melinda's cheek. "I will mom."

"And Reid, your father still needs to talk with you about her knowing."

Reid sighed. "Not now."

Melinda nodded. "Go." She said motioning her head down the hall towards the door leading to his basement apartment. Reid went down and as he walked in he saw no sight of Aubrey in his living room space. So he shut the door and walked down the hall to his room. He walked in to find Aubrey's shoes next to his bed, her messenger bag lying next to them and her curled under his covers facing away from the door.

Reid walked over and pulled the covers back on the other side of his bed and he climbed in, feet only clad in socks. He pulled the covers over his body and just laying facing his crying girlfriend. He hated seeing her so sad and broken down.

With a gentleness only Aubrey knew he possessed he brought his hand up resting it on her cheek and the pad of his thumb gently wiped away stray mascara filled dark tears. "Sweets you need to talk to me." He said softly.

Aubrey's breathing was uneven and harsh as she tried to control her tears. "I-I..." She stuttered. Reid's hand slipped back behind her neck and he pulled her towards him as he rolled on to his back, her head rested on his chest, his fingers running soothingly threw her hair and down her back.

Twenty minutes passed and it was as if she could cry no more, her eyes were scratchy and dry from lack of moisture, red and puffy from being wiped at and their were smear marks from her eye liner and mascara under her eyes. She looked so vulnerable at that moment it struck Reid hard in the heart.

"I went...upstairs to find my mother's Christmas things in the attic, my father packed all her things and put them up there after her death. He said he was only keeping them for me." Aubrey said softly.

Reid just remained silent letting her say what she needed to say.

After a long pause she picked up again. "As I was going through her things, I stumbled across a shoe box, it had my name on it. I thought it was just silly scraps of art and gold star papers from elementary school, but I decided to open it."

She stayed quiet for a long time and Reid turned his head slightly kissing her forehead. "Sweets?" He asked urging her to continue.

Aubrey sighed sitting up out of his embrace and moved over so she could lean down off the bed and grab her messenger bag. She pulled it up on to the bed and open the flap. Pulling out an old Spencer year book and a few envelopes she set them on the bed and tossed her messenger bag back on the floor. "Inside I found these instead. The top envelope is written to me, the other's are written to my mom." She opened the front hard back cover of the yearbook and pulled a loose four by six photo from just inside and handed it to Reid. "Look familiar?" She asked.

Reid sat up next to her taking the picture. A beautiful auburn haired woman was standing large arms wrapped around her waist a rather bulky young adult male attached to her back smiling with her at the photographer. "Is that..." Reid's eye's widened.

"Yeah. And according to this..." She held up the envelope addressed to her. "He's my real father."

_Flash back:_

_"Father where are those Christmas decorations of moms?" Aubrey asked looking in on her father in his study._

_"In the attic. You know you should go through her things and get ride of the things you don't want or need. A charity could use those things to help other people in need." Her father said flatly._

_Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She muttered walking down to the end of the upstairs hall to the attic door. Pulling it open she headed up the loud squeaky old wooden staircase and at the top was met with a dusty attic filled with boxes of her mother's belongings._

_Deciding to just start to her left she began opening box flaps and peeking inside, half way in she found an old Dolce and Gabbana shoe box, her name scrawled on the top in black permanent marker. She recognized it instantly as her mother's handwriting. Her curious nature got the best of her and she pulled the shoe box from inside the large packing box and saw on the floor legs crossed Indian style and she pulled the lid off the shoe box._

_Instead of finding old keepsakes from her childhood she found a cream colored enveloped with her name in the same scrawl as on the box. Beneath it was an old Spencer yearbook. She pulled the year book out, resting the letter in her lap. She opened the front cover and just inside was a photo and a few small envelopes, her mother's name and mailing address in Boston as the recipient written sloppily on the front._

_Looking at the photograph she thought she recognized the man standing with her mother, but knew it wasn't her father. She set it aside and retrieved the letter from her lap. She opened the sealed envelope and pulled the two sheeted letter from inside. _

_Tears pooled in her eyes seeing the same elegant writing. Her mother's writing. Her mother had written this to her._

_**My Sweetest Aubrey,**_

_**I don't know how much time has passed since the cancer took me away from you, but I know I am no longer there to be with you if you are reading this. I know because I lied to you. The doctor never told me the cancer was operable, I couldn't bare to tell you the truth that I only had weeks left to live. Don't be mad at your father, I asked him to let me go.**_

_Aubrey brought her hand up over her mouth to cover her light sob._

_**I lied to protect you in so many ways my Sweetest Aubrey. But now I must come clean about a lie I've been telling you since the day you were born. I had planned to tell you when you were older and could understand, not just going in to your teens, confused about who you are and what you want to be. I wanted this information to mean something to you and I didn't want you to hate me. I thought if I told you when you were older we could discuss it maturely, but unfortunately that will never happen. And I can't tell you now, especially with this cancer eating away at me. I can't bare to see you so confused and upset right now.**_

_**In the box you've undoubtedly opened you will find my Senior yearbook. Inside the cover is a photo and a few letters. Those will be explained in due time. **_

_**My darling Aubrey, there's no easy way to tell you this, so I will simplify the story as best I can for you. In my Sophomore year at Spencer I met a boy, Nick. He attended a public school just outside the city limits. We began dating and over time I fell in love with him. My parents being from a wealthy background thought it uncivilized of me to be spending my time frolicking about with someone like him. Meaning unwealthy, carefree, and in a sense a bit of a bad boy.**_

_**Against my parents wishes I continued to see him, until the end of my Senior year. Just before I was to leave for college in September we had a fight that ended in us deciding to break up. I later found out he'd only started the fight insecure about me being away at college and if my feelings were as deep as I said. But by the time I knew that information I'd already met Robert. **_

_**I met Robert a month after my break up and while he wasn't, like my first love, he was genuinely caring and kind. I started developing feelings for him. My parents worshiped the ground he walked on. Two months into our relationship he proposed, I accepted. **_

_**Eight months and two days, after we met you came along. You were not premature, you were right on time. I found out a month into my relationship with Robert that I was pregnant. After his proposal I discussed the situation with him and he told me not to worry. He'd treat you as if you were his own, because he couldn't have kids of his own. I wont go into details as to why. **_

_**I contacted Nick two let him know about you. He said it was better this way, you'd have everything you could ask for. Things he couldn't give you. It broke my heart he felt that way, but it was for the best in the end. No matter what Aubrey, this changes nothing you were conceived with love. But I knew Robert would never tell you the truth and I wanted you to know.**_

_**Nick and I were so in love. You were my part of him, I always told you I met your father in high school. That was never a lie just a failure to mention which father. I loved Nick with every fiber of my being and no love ever compared to that but you. I think on some level Robert always knew my heart didn't fully belong to him and he resented that fact a little. He resented the fact that I fell in love with someone so different from him, so deeply and that a part of me would always belong to Nick.**_

_**I love you and I'm sorry for having to share this information with you like this. I hope you can see why I lied to you all these years, and I hope you can forgive me. I love you so much, Robert loves you so much.**_

_**There are so many things I wish I could tell you, so many things I wish I would have the chance to experience with you. But unfortunately those things wont happen. But I want to give you one last piece of advice, find love and hold on tight. Don't ever let go, because nothing is second best when it comes to love. You were my connection to my first true love and that makes you incredibly special, but that doesn't make Robert any less of a father to you. Remember that. And remember that I love you dearly. I'm always watching over you.**_

_**Love Always,**_

_**Mom**_

_Aubrey grabbed the picture again. "Nick?" _

_End flash back_

"So you're telling me..." Reid said still in shock.

Aubrey nodded. "Yep."

"Wow."

"Yeah tell me about it." Aubrey said looking at the picture she'd taken back from Reid half way through her story. "I just...what do I do? What do I say? I mean he obviously knows, and my father but what should I do?"

Reid shrugged. "Unfortunately Sweets I don't have the answer you're looking for."

"Just tell me what to do? Should I confront my father? Or should I just forget I found this?" Aubrey said looking pleadingly at Reid.

"Which one?" Reid asked confused.

Aubrey through her hands and shoved the letter, picture and yearbook aside as she threw the covers from her body and stood and started pacing Reid's room. "Both! I don't know."

"Aubrey calm down." Reid said calmly.

She sighed and tears started falling from her eyes once again as she sat down on the floor leaning back against the end of his bed. "I don't know what to do Reid." She said her voice hoarse and cracking.

Reid spread out on his bed, one hand slipping off his mattress and resting on her shoulder and Aubrey reached up her hand and he linked their fingers together and pecked a kiss to the back of her head. "Baby you have to choose on your own. I can't tell you what to do." Reid said kindly.

Aubrey sniffled. "What would you do?" She asked softly.

Licking his dry lips in thought Reid rested his chin on the top of her head. "I honestly don't know Sweets."

"If your powers weren't a factor and you were just as normal as me, would you confront the man you thought was your father for the last eighteen years or just try to forget?"

"Me being headstrong, I'd probably choose confrontation." Reid said jokingly earning him a small giggle from her.

Aubrey sighed. "I don't want to go home tonight, I can't even look at him right now."

"You can stay here." Reid said.

Aubrey tilted her head back so she could look at him somewhat upside down. "Thanks. I just need to get my thoughts together before I talk to him."

"No problem Sweets." Reid leant forward and kissed her lips tenderly. "I'll have my mom call when it's about ten and tell him that the party ran late and you'll be home in the morning."

"I think we should just let him stew." Aubrey said a bit bitterly.

Reid kissed her again and grinned. "He's still your father. I'd rather not wake to the cops pounding on our door claiming I've kidnapped you."

"Technically he's not, he's the man who raised me. My father is a whole other person." Aubrey said a bit sardonically.

"Fine then I'll call him." Reid joked.

"No, don't you dare." Aubrey laughed.

Reid laughed. "I was just kidding Sweets."

There was a knock on the basement door. Reid got off his bed and went to his door. Openign it he found his mother. "Reid darling, dinner thirty minutes."

Reid nodded. "K, mom we'll be up in thirty minutes then."

Melinda smiled. "Good." With that she turned and headed back up the stairs. Reid shut the door and made his way back to his room.

"I need to change." Aubrey said getting up from the floor. She grabbed her messenger bag and walked towards Reid's bathroom.

"Sweets?" Aubrey turned and looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"It'll be ok you know that right?" Reid asked smiling at her.

Aubrey smiled slightly. "Yeah." With that she walked in to his bathroom shutting the door. Reid pulled the suit his mother had gotten him from the closet. He started dressing and a few moments later as he was buttoning up the black pin stripped shirt his mother had picked out, the bathroom door opened. Light flowed out freely from inside and he looked in to see Aubrey standing at the mirror.

Her hair was down, and curly, the purple in her hair more prominent than her natural dark brown now that she'd had more highlights put in just recently. The dress she wore hung down just above her knees, black silky looking fabric, the heels on her feet were obviously pumps, some design on them Reid couldn't make out. He left his shirt untucked and walked in to the bathroom. Aubrey was wiping at the black smear at either corner of her eyes.

Reid wrapped his arms around her waist and she pulled back away from the mirror, letting him see through the object the front of her dress. It was strapless and hugged perfectly to her chest. "You look beautiful." He whispered in her ear.

Aubrey smiled back at him in the mirror and then turned around looking over his wardrobe. "You clean up nicely." She said grinning at him.

"Well it's not my first choice but it'll do." Reid said acting nonchalant. Aubrey tilted her head up expectantly and Reid smirked. "I have something for you."

"Oh yeah what's that?" Aubrey asked frowning slightly since she hadn't gotten the kiss she was expecting.

Reid grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the bathroom. He turned her back towards his bed. "Close your eyes." She said.

Aubrey did so and felt his hand slip from hers. "Reid? We don't have time for games."

"Just keep your eyes closed." Aubrey clasped her hands in front of her and waited with her eyes closed silently. She felt his presence in her space. "Ok open."

Aubrey opened her eyes to find him standing before her, his black blazer now on and his palm outstretched and upwards holding a small blue box. "What's this?" Aubrey said gently plucking the box from his hand.

"Your Christmas present." Reid grinned.

"Oh shit." Aubrey said and sighed. "Yours is in Val's dorm room. I was going to pick it up before I came over and then..."

Reid shook his head. "Don't worry about Sweets, just open yours."

"But..."

"No, no. You'll give it to me some other time, right now you're going to open yours." Reid insisted. Aubrey pulled the lid from the box and gasped putting her spare hand over her mouth as the lid fell to the floor. "Like them?"

"Reid their beautiful." Aubrey said breathlessly looking at the darling white gold dragonfly earrings to match the necklace he'd gotten her for her sixteenth birthday. "Reid this is too much though you..."

"I hate when you say that." Reid said looking a bit disappointed. "Just say thank you and kiss me."

Aubrey set the box on his bed and jumped up in to his arms, Reid having quick reflexes wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her up. "I love them thank you." She said smiling at him before planting a firm kiss on his delicious lips. As she pulled away he released her and she slid to the floor, her pumps making her taller then usual though. "I'm just not use to getting gifts like these." Aubrey said picking the box up once again.

Reid kissed her softly and his hand came up delicately cupping her cheek as his other moved around her waist holding her close to him, their lips not parting for even a second. When they did finally break away again Reid rested his forehead to hers. "Get use to it." He said with a grin.

Aubrey giggled softly and began removing the earrings from the box and placing them in the first whole of her lobe, the second already adorned with white gold hoops in both ears. Aubrey walked back towards the bathroom and picked up her messenger bag again and began rummaging. "Oh no."

"What?" Reid asked walking in.

"No, no, no." She said frantically dumping the remaining contents out on the bathroom counter. "It's not here. I know I grabbed it."

"Grabbed what?"

"My necklace." Aubrey said stricken. "Oh god." She said softly not finding it in the random contents on the counter. A pen, a pack of gum, her wallet, sidekick, mascara, eye shadow, and lip gloss were strewn about but now necklace in sight.

Reid grabbing her arms gently turning her around. "I'm sure it's somewhere Bre. Give me your keys and I'll go look in the car, while you keep my mother distracted from my absence."

"Reid I love that necklace, I can't believe I lost it." She said tears in her eyes.

Reid lifted her chin and smiled at her. "Sweets it's ok. Calm down, don't cry I'm sure it just fell out in your car on the way here. If not it can be replaced."

"No Reid it can't it wont be the same." Aubrey said tears no running down her cheeks.

He grabbed her face in his hands gently. "Sweets, please calm down. It's fine."

Aubrey sighed hanging her head and leaning forward so her forehead rested on his chest. "I'm sorry." She sniffled. "My emotions are just a little crazy right now."

"I noticed." Reid said kissing the top of her head. "Come on, give me your keys and we'll head upstairs. I'll go search your car real quick I'm sure it's there."

Aubrey nodded and walked back in to his room she grabbed her keys from his nightstand and handed them to Reid. He slipped them in his blazer pocket taking her hand and they headed up to the main level of the house.

Reid and Aubrey walked in to the small room where everyone was gathered, it was the front sitting room, elegantly decorated. Mrs. Garwin had an incredible eye for interior design. "Ah Reid, glad you could join us." Randall said.

"Actually I need to go look for something in Aubrey's car, but I'm sure Aubrey can tell you a few jokes while I'm gone to keep you entertained." Reid said grinning at her. Aubrey gave him a playful glared and then turned to the guests.

"I'm not that funny." She said making the guests smile. She was nervous, she didn't know these people and Reid was going out to her car for only god knows how long.

"I'll be right back." Reid kissed her cheek and then left.

"Everyone this is our son Reid's girlfriend Aubrey. Aubrey dear come sit with me." Melinda waved her forward and Aubrey did just that. After she took a seat Melinda introduced her to the guests. The men settled in to a conversation while the woman conversed to each other as well.

"May I say I love your hair." The youngest woman in the group, besides Aubrey herself, she was in her early twenties named Sienna told her kindly.

Aubrey smiled bashfully. "Oh I did it on a whim really."

"It's stunning." Sienna confirmed with a smile.

"Thank you." Aubrey said.

"Mrs. Garwin, dinners ready?" Odelia, the maid, said smiling kindly at Mrs. Garwin.

Melinda nodded. "Thank you Odelia. Well shall we all go to the dinning room?" She asked everyone. The guests started heading for the dining room, Melinda had linked her arm through Aubrey's and was walking with her when Reid came jogging back in to the house. Aubrey turned and Melinda continued in to the dining room after letting her go.

"Did you find it?" Aubrey asked looking at him pleadingly. Reid grinned and nodded holding the chain up for her to see. Aubrey smiled as he motioned for her to turn around and he placed it on her collarbone while she pulled her hair to the side. "I knew I loved you for a reason." She said as he moved her hand away from her hair, just like the first time he'd placed the necklace on her. She turned around facing him and Reid put a hand to his heart.

"I think I'm wounded."

Aubrey smiled. "You're my prince charming you know that."

"Trying to suck up?" Reid joked.

"Well I don't want to sleep alone tonight." Aubrey teased lightly.

Reid chuckled. "I'd never pass up the chance to have you in my bed." He grinned bending his head and giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Come on, mom's probably holding the meal hostage till we come in."

Aubrey giggled as he took her hand and lead her in to the dinning room. There were two seats together at the end of the table. Across from the two seats was Melinda, and at the end of the table just next to the seats was Randall. Aubrey let Reid sit on the corner while she sat in between him and Michael McKenna, one of Randall's business partners. Dinner got under way and conversation was pleasant enough.

"Reid where are you planning on attending college?" Jordan, another of Randall's partners, asked Reid from across the table next to his wife Jodi.

Reid glanced at his father and mother before answering. "Hard to say, I've gotten a few acceptances, but I haven't decided yet." Aubrey knew that was a lie. He had gotten the acceptances, but had told her he was going to probably end up doing online course for a business degree

"And you Aubrey?" Sienna asked politely.

Aubrey looked over at Reid and then up at the other's who all seemed to be staring at her. "I, uh, plan to attend Brown, but that may change. I haven't gotten my acceptance letter from them yet. But I have gotten them from Yale and Duke."

"Well you've got good choices." Michael said nodding his head in an approving manor. Aubrey smiled politely. The rest of the dinner went smoothly and soon Aubrey and Reid found themselves back downstairs.

"Reid can I..." Aubrey stopped when she turned around to find Reid holding a t-shirt out to her. She smiled and kissed his cheek as she accepted the article of clothing. "Thanks."

Reid nodded and watched her as she unzipped the back of her dress and let the item fall and pool around her feet. She'd already removed her heels and they were sitting next to the door. Her bottom was clad in black and white polka dot boy short panties and it didn't look as though anything was covering her chest. She wore no bra, her back turned to him she slipped the shirt over her head and then proceeded to head in to the bathroom.

A grin plastered itself to Reid's lips, he was the luckiest guy in the world to have a girl like her. Aubrey walked out of the bathroom, bare legs exposed hair in a loose braid to the side. "_Well Baby I've been here before... I've seen this room and I've walked this floor... You know I use to live alone before I know ya...and I've seen your flag on the marble arch... love is not... a victory march... it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah...hallelujah...hallelujah...hallelujah...hallelujah ..._" Aubrey noticed Reid staring and stopped singing. "What?" She asked shyly.

Reid gave her a look. "What song is that?"

"Hallelujah." Aubrey replied. "It popped into my head in the bathroom, sorry I know I sing horribly."

"No, you sang beautifully."

Aubrey scoffed brushing it off playfully. "Yeah right." She said pulling back the covers on his bed.

Reid smiled at her and walked over stopping her from climbing in to his bed. "No, honest. Where'd you hear it?"

Aubrey smiled said as she rested her hands on his bare biceps. "It was my mom's favorite song. She use to sing it to me as a little girl." Aubrey told him. "I heard the newer version recently, done by some young artist, Kate something, and it was beautiful, just got me remembering." She answered softly.

Reid nuzzled his face in to the side of her bare neck, kissing softly at her soft skin. "Will you sing it to me?" Reid asked lightly. He wouldn't usually ask that, but something about the way she sang it interested him even more.

"It's late Reid and it's been a long day. It's no time to be singing confusing love songs." She said resting her head on his bare torso.

Reid wrapped his arms around her cocooning her into his body. "Please?"

Aubrey sighed softly. "Can we lay down?" Reid moved towards the bed and fell on top of her making her giggle. "Reid." She hit his arm. Reid rolled off her grinning. Aubrey just moved into a sitting position, her back leaned back against his headboard the blankets drawn up over her lap and Reid moved next to her, he lay his head on her stomach, since her body was slunk down a bit into his pillows. He pulled the blankets over his body.

So they lay there comfortably for a few moments in silence before Aubrey began to sing from the beginning. She ran her fingers through his hair soothing him into to slumber by the end of the song. She gently reached off turning the light on his nightstand off and slipped down further into the bed after moving his head slightly on to his pillow. It was already late so Aubrey just cuddled up to him and fell asleep.

Next morning:

"Hey! Hey you can't go in there!" Aubrey registered the voice slightly as Mrs. Garwin as sleep drew further away. She groaned and covered her head with the blankets.

"That's my daughter sleeping with your son!" At that she sat up fully awake looking at the door of Reid's bedroom to see her father coming storming in, angry beyond anything she'd ever seen before. "Get out of that bed right now young lady!" He barked.

Reid woke up at that moment and sat up looking around. "What the fuck?" He mumbled rubbing at his eyes. Aubrey hadn't moved, still in shock at her father's audacity to barge in to a home that wasn't his and just make his way around and order people about.

"No." She shook her head.

Robert walked over grabbing her bicep and pulled her out of the bed. Aubrey's stumbled barely catching her footing before Reid was off the bed. "This is not how you behave! You two are over! Am I clear!"

"Get your hands off her." Reid yelled as Aubrey tried desperately to stop her father from dragging her from the room.

"You can not just barge in to our home..." Melinda was cut off though when Aubrey moved faster then her father getting in front and slapping him clear across the face. Reid was shocked, Melinda was standing there hand over her mouth in bewilderment as well.

They were now standing in the living room of the basement apartment, Robert had let Aubrey go in his state of shock. "How dare you..." Robert said looking at her livid.

Aubrey glared daggers at him. "No how dare you!" She roared angrily. Aubrey was finally snapping, she was so sick of his orders. "You aren't my father." She said lowly.

Robert's eyes widened. "Young lady..."

"Oh don't give me that young lady bullshit! Mom told you to tell me, and you didn't."

"What did you want me to say? That your real father was some low life bartender!" Robert yelled.

Reid and Melinda were just watching silent as the fireworks began to explode. Aubrey pushed Robert hard knocking him back a few steps. "Better a low life bartender than an arrogant son of a bitch like you. You think everyone is beneath you, and those that aren't you kiss ass to, to get in good with them so that you can be Mr. Big shot! And just because you don't approve of Reid and his wilder ways doesn't mean I don't love him."

"You know nothing of love." Robert growled. "I loved your mother! And yet she couldn't give me her whole heart! She still loved that low life! The day she died, she said his name in her last breath after asking me to tell you the truth. I couldn't. I'd invested to much in your future to let that low-life ruin it! And then he came along." Robert pointed to Reid. "And everything I'd been working so hard to accomplish for your future was washing away!"

At that moment everything fell in to place for Aubrey. She looked at her father in contempt. "You hate Reid because he's just like him. He's carefree, rebellious, and even a bit daring. Everything your not. You resented mom for loving those qualities, because you could never possess them." She said loathing in her voice. "And you resent me for loving those same qualities in Reid!"

"He has no ambition! No future!" Robert yelled. "He's just like _him_." He declared bitterly.

Aubrey grinned and nodded her head. "You're right. He's right." She said looking at Reid. She could see hurt flash in his eyes and she gave him a small smile. "Reid is just like _him_, but I can guarantee Reid has a future." She saw the hurt leave his eyes. "And as long as I have Reid I'll never have to settle for second best, like mom did." Aubrey said giving Robert a once over angrily before walking over to Reid. "I'm not going to end up like mom, settling for second best when my heart already belongs to Reid. A real father would not stop me from being with the man I love."

"Aubrey I did those things for your own good. You needed to stay focused on your future, not hung up on a high school crush."

"Save it." Aubrey said shaking her head.

"Aubrey..."

"No. Until you can accept the fact that I love Reid, I am no longer your daughter. And I intend to have a relationship with my blood related father, so if you can't accept that either than you can just forget I exist. Mom wanted me to know, to be able to have a relationship with him and you weren't ever going to tell me because you were jealous, how fair is that to me, the daughter you supposable love."

"I do love you Aubrey!"

"Then you should've told me the truth and you should never have kept me from Reid. I can't blame you anymore for mom's death I know now that she lied trying to protect me, but I can hate you for everything you've done to Reid and I. I can hate you for keeping something from me my own mother wanted me to know. And I do hate you right now, and it's so deep I can't even comprehend..." Robert looked stricken with sorrow. Melinda looked on the verge of tears, Reid was just being stoic and silent. "But someday, somehow I'll be able to find it in me to forgive you. Now the question is will you forgive mom and let all that anger you let accumulate over the years and resentment, can you let it all go?"

"I don't know." Robert said lightly.

Aubrey felt Reid take hold of her hand. "Until you find it in your heart to forgive woman who's deceased, I can't find it in me to forgive the man who's still alive." Aubrey tugged on Reid's hand and they walked back to his room together. As soon as the door was shut Aubrey almost collapsed, Reid caught her and carried the now crying form of his girlfriend back to bed. He placed her under the covers and went to the other side of the bed and got in pulling her close to him and just letting her cry.

AN: I know everyone's like what the hell? Right? Well it's late I've already confused myself so if it's confusing let me know. I'll try to fix it as best I can. For some reason this popped in to my head, and I thought what the hell. If no one likes how this came out I can always change it. Just let me know honestly. And I hope you all can figure out who her father really is...lol...I'll be posting some pics for the story tomorrow, but it's late I'm tired and I have physical therapy in the morning, well actually in 9 hrs and 19 minutes, so goodnight all!


	13. Warm, In All The Right Places

Chapter 12: Warm, In All The Right Places

After crying Aubrey had fallen back to sleep in Reid's arms. He held her and fell into a light slumber as well. When Aubrey woke again she found the bed next to her empty, but could hear the water running into the sink in the bathroom. A few moments passed and the bathroom door pulled open and out stepped Reid clad in his baggy black and gray flannel pajama bottoms, the elastic band of his Calvin Klein boxers picking out the top.

And for a moment just staring at her boyfriend, in all his naked chested glory, every bad thing that had transpired the last two days seemed to leave her mind. "Hey." Reid said seeing her awake. He stretched and Aubrey watched fascinated as his abs and what she could see of his groin muscles stretched visibly. Reid wasn't extremely well defined, but he was lean and masculine. He was perfect.

She looked at his newer tattoos he'd gotten since the beginning of the year, one on his bicep just after the shoulder rounded down into the arm, he had another one on his chest over his heart a skull and cross bones, he'd gotten that back before Thanksgiving.

"Hey." She finally replied as he came walking back over to the bed. He climbed on to the bed and laid down on top of the covers next to her.

"Merry Christmas." Reid said leaning in and kissing her lightly.

Aubrey scoffed. "The only good thing about this Christmas is you." She told him with a tight smile. Reid looked at her sympathetically. "Do you think I got through to him?"

"Loud and clear." Reid nodded. "Did you mean what you said about having a relationship with Nicky?"

Aubrey rolled on her side propping her head up on to her hand, elbow buried into the pillow her head had previously been laying on. "Yeah. Obviously my mom wanted me to know he was my dad, I'm sure that she wanted me to have a chance to get to know him." She said her free hand picking at the small specs of lint on the sheet beneath her. "It'll be a little awkward though, walking in to the bar 'Hey Nicky, ya I'm good. Look I know you know that I'm your daughter.'" Aubrey said a bit sarcastically.

Reid chuckled faintly. "I somehow don't think it'll be that way."

"It'll still be strange." Aubrey said looking at him.

An obnoxious buzzing sounded from next to the bed. Aubrey recognized it and rolled over reaching down in to her messenger bag to grab her sidekick. "Hello?" She answered.

_"Merry Christmas! Whatcha up to?"_

This brought a smile to Aubrey's lips as she rolled on to her back. "Merry Christmas Val and I'm at Reid's."

_"And the daddy dearest is ok with that?" _Val questioned.

Aubrey scoffed. "Of course not, but everything seemed to just blow up today."

_"Dish." _Val said enthusiastically.

"It's kind of a long story Val." Aubrey replied quietly. "And I'd rather not talk about it right now."

_"Oh, ok. Well I'm here, at the dorms all by my lonesome if you want to talk later." _Val said but Aubrey giggled slightly at the tone in her voice.

"You're all alone. What happened to your parents flying in early this morning?" Aubrey questioned.

_"Their flight got grounded. Apparently there were a couple bad storms blocking their flight path, not to mention it snowed last night. Didn't you see it when you got up this morning?"_ Val asked.

"Nope, haven't left the basement." Aubrey said quietly.

_"Kinky."_ Val teased.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Teasing me is no way to get me to ask the Garwin's if you can come join us for the day."

_"Oh please Aubrey, I'm so bored here." _Val pleaded playfully.

Aubrey giggled and turned her head to look at Reid who was just laying their watching her. "Can Val come over and join us for the holiday?"

Reid shrugged. "Sure I guess, if she wants."

"Your mom and dad wont mind?" Aubrey questioned.

"Tyler's coming for dinner tonight, I don't see why Val can't come spend the day. Mom and Dad shouldn't have a problem with it." Reid said.

Aubrey smiled at him and then looked back up at the ceiling. "We'll come get you."

Val squealed on the other end of the line with excitement. _"I love you." _She said happily. _"I can be ready in an hour. When can you be here?"_

"What time is it?" Aubrey asked.

_"Eleven thirty."_

"Well we just got up I don't know if the Garwin's have any plans, let me find out and get dressed and I'll call you back. I need to swing by my place and grab some clothes, I don't want to be home for the next couple days." Aubrey explained.

Val grimaced. _"Must be bad this time."_

"Multiply bad times ten and it just gets worse." Aubrey told her sullenly.

Val sighed. _"K, well call me back."_

"I will, bye." Aubrey ended the call and set her cell phone on the nightstand next to Reid's bed and started to get up. "I don't have any clean clothes." Aubrey groaned walking towards the bathroom.

"You can borrow mine."

"Reid your clothes are far to big on me to actually stay on." Aubrey giggled walking in to the bathroom and shutting the door. Reid got up making his way to his closet and he started rummaging through his jeans. He finally came across an old pair of baggy distressed jeans, he loved them but he'd grown to tall for them a few years back when he'd hit his growth spurt in junior high. He then went through his shirts and found an old black t-shirt.

When he came out of his closet Aubrey was looking at her jeans and t-shirt from the night before. "Here put these on instead." Reid handed her the clothes.

"Reid their too big." Aubrey said eying them.

Reid gave her a playful grin. "Just do it." So she slipped the jeans on and just before she went to remove the shirt she wore and switch it she frowned. "My bra." she said and held the jeans at her waist while she walked in to his bathroom in search of the article of clothing. She found it hanging, oddly enough, on the door handle on the back of the bathroom door. She didn't remember putting it there, but Reid had probably picked it up and put it there. She took the shirt off, sticking it on the counter and put her bra on.

As she walked out she grabbed the night shirt and stuck it in the hamper to the left of the bathroom door inside his room. She grabbed the black-t-shirt from the bed and slipped it on. "Ok Reid, this is going to be a problem." Aubrey said pointing to the jeans that hung to low on her waist.

She watched as his eyes bled black and felt the articles of clothing change to fit her body. When she looked down, the shirt was slim to her torso, exposing just enough of her abdomen to see a faint glance of her tattoo. And the jeans were baggy and loose fitting, but hung close to her waist now and the length had altered as well, so she wouldn't be walking on the legs themselves.

"Better?" Reid smirked, his eyes back to that intoxicating blue that she loved.

Aubrey walked over, bare feet padding over the carpet to him and she put her arms around his waist, his lower half clad in a pair of distressed dark denim jeans, his torso still bare. "Thanks." She smiled standing up on her tiptoes and kissing him. Reid responded by grabbing the back of her legs, just beneath the curve of her butt and he lifted her. Her arms repositioned themselves around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. Their lips broke momentarily when Aubrey giggled, but everything fell silent once again when their lips glued back together.

"Sweets?"

A sigh of happiness broke from her lips as they broke their long passionate kiss. Her eyes opened and locked with his. "Hmm?"

"Will you be my girlfriend again?" He asked with a grin.

She smiled brightly. "Well I'll have to think about it."

"Any way I can persuade you?"

Aubrey bit her bottom lip. "Maybe." She said with a grin. "But right now...we need to go upstairs and then go get Val. She's all alone on Christmas."

"Your feeling better I see." Reid replied letting her down.

Aubrey shrugged. "I'm just not thinking about it. Not right now, I just want to salvage some of my Christmas." Aubrey walked out of his bedroom, Reid following closely behind, neither wore shoes, they'd have to make it back downstairs at some point, but getting up to the main level of the house to speak with Reid's parents was kind of important at the moment.

Reid's parents really didn't mind much what he did, but Randall was always skeptical about new people being in his house. It was something most of the Son's father's exhibited in behavior, because they liked their privacy for obvious reasons.

Aubrey and Reid walked through the door at the top of the stairs and made their way down the long hall to the front living room, where they found Melinda reading and Randall was typing away at his laptop, dressed down in casual jeans and a button up shirt. "Wow, they look normal." Aubrey whispered jokingly to Reid.

He chuckled. "And now we see the Garwin's in their natural habitat." He whispered back to her sardonically.

"I heard that." Randall informed them, making both teens laugh practically through their noses. When they calmed down they walked over to the available love seat and sat down together. Aubrey snuggled close to Reid looked over into the corner of the room at the white lit Christmas tree.

"So?" Melinda asked them with a knowing grin. "What did you come up here to ask us?"

Reid smiled trying to be innocent but not succeeding at all. "Uh, what'd you get me for Christmas?" He asked.

Randall looked up. "It's out in the driveway, go take a look."

"That's not what he wanted Randall." Melinda said shaking her head with a smile.

"No but it'll do." Reid hopped off the couch and ran towards the front door. Aubrey heard it swing open and then... "A fucking Porsche! AUBREY!"

Aubrey looked at Melinda and shook her head jokingly. "A Porsche seriously, I'm gonna die young of a heart attack."

Melinda laughed softly. "Go, look, he's excited. Then harass him about being a safe driver." Aubrey got up and went to the front door. Reid pointed to the car right out front and Aubrey looked over and saw the shit eating grin on his face.

"Does this make you happy?" Aubrey asked gesturing to the car.

Reid looked over at her and shook his head no. Then he ran off and left Aubrey standing there with the door wide open looking completely confused.

He came running back a few moments later, scooped her up bridal style and ran out the door. Aubrey looked down and noticed his black steel toed boots on his feet, the laces weren't even done up properly. He ran over to the car, pulling the door handle on the passenger side open, his father having obviously not locked it when he pulled it in to the driveway this morning, and he set Aubrey down in the seat and then went around to the driver's side and sat down in the bucket seat himself.

He looked over at Aubrey, both car doors wide open, her sitting there giggling softly her eyes landing on him. "This makes me happy." He said with a grin.

Aubrey laughed lightly and looked around the car, her bare feet not even close to warm, but Reid was excited, she'd let him have his fun and then go inside and shove her feet into her socks and shoes. "I'm not sure I get it." Aubrey said.

Reid smirked. "A beautiful girl, _my_ beautiful girl and an expensive beautiful car."

"You are so strange sometimes." She grinned.

"But you love me." Reid said smugly.

Aubrey grinned. "So you like to remind me every chance you get." She teased. Her eyes began wandering around the car. "This is incredible Reid."

"There's a but there, what is it?"

"You have to be really careful." Aubrey said looking at him pleadingly. "I know you like driving fast and a bit...erratic." She said finally settling on a word. "But please for my sake just be careful."

"Did my mom tell you to give me that speech?" Reid teased.

Aubrey frowned at him playfully. "No." She said and then rolled her eyes. "I mean it Reid. Me in the car or not drive careful. Please?"

Reid leaned over the center console and his hand came up to her cheek. His thumb rubbed lightly over her soft skin and he moved in and kissed her lips lightly. "I'll be as sane as possible." He said slightly joking.

Aubrey couldn't help it she giggled. "I guess that's all I can ask."

"Now, I want to drive my new car."

"No backseat." Aubrey said pointing in the back.

Reid frowned. "Damn."

Aubrey giggled. "Besides the grounds covered in snow, you've never driven this car, let alone in the snow do you honestly want to risk wrecking your new car the first day you have it?"

"I hate your logic." Reid said. And then started messing with things. "I've always wanted a Porsche, but my parents always said no."

"You must've shown them you can be responsible."

Reid snorted. "Oh ya that's it." He said sardonically.

Aubrey hit him in the arm. "Hey."

"Sorry." He chuckled. "So, I guess we should go back in the house."

Aubrey smiled at him. "Be excited a little longer."

He smirked. "Zero to sixty in four point one seconds..." And Reid rattled off a few more facts about his new 2006 midnight blue Porsche 911 GT3 and Aubrey listened intently at his enthusiasm. After a few more minutes Reid was just sat silently.

"I hate to ruin your moment with your new toy, but my feet are freezing Reid." Aubrey told him. "Not to mention you through on a beater, not a t-shirt."

Reid nodded his head as he climbed out of his seat and shut the door behind him. He walked around and leaned down into the open passenger side door and lifted Aubrey out of her seat into his arms, again bridal style. "Could you get the door Sweets?" Reid asked politely. Aubrey reached over and with a gentle but firm flick of the wrist she shut the car door. Then Reid made his way up the steps to the house and they went back inside back to the living room and back to the couch.

Aubrey buried her feet in between the two cushions of the love seat as she snuggled in to Reid's lap. "So?" Randall asked.

"Best Christmas ever!" Reid told him excitedly.

"Reid that's also your graduation present." Melinda informed him.

Reid nodded. "Fair enough."

"So what were you actually going to asked." Melinda inquired.

"Oh well actually I was going to ask if my friend Val could come over today." Aubrey said sweetly. "Her parents flight was grounded, not that she really wanted to spend it with them anyways, but she's all alone at the dorms."

Melinda looked over at Randall, who sensed her gaze and looked up. He nodded and Melinda's eyes diverted back to Aubrey. "I don't see why not. This will be the most people we've ever had in our home on a holiday, with Tyler coming for dinner as is tradition every year."

Aubrey smiled kindly. "Thank you."

Melinda smiled back. "No problem sweetheart, how are you?"

"Mom." Reid shook his head at her and Melinda frowned.

Aubrey kissed his cheek for trying to keep the subject away from that morning, but answered Melinda all the same. "I'm ok I guess."

"Mom can Aubrey stay for a few days? She doesn't really want to be at home and with Christmas break and everything I thought it might be ok." Reid asked.

Melinda nodded. "I guess. Your father and I are leaving tomorrow to go see your aunt, so you'll both be on your best behavior, right?" She asked looking at them, with that look. The one all mother's have but no one can ever really name cause it's just 'the mom look.'

Reid rolled his eyes. "Yes mom."

"Good. Now is your friend driving herself?"

"Uh no, we actually have to go get her." Aubrey said.

"And on that note, we probably should go do that, before she tries to find her way around Ipswich by herself." Reid said jokingly. "Last time she did that, was before Thanksgiving, and she got so lost, somehow she ended up on the bad side of town."

"Bad side? Honestly Reid there's no bad side to this town." Aubrey said teasingly. Reid picked her up in his arms again, her feet leaving the cushions and she huddled closer to his chest, her arms moving around his neck. "I could get use to being carried around."

Reid smirked at her. "Nothings free." He whispered huskily into her ear.

Aubrey giggled as he carried her out of the room and back down the hall to the main door to the basement. A little while later both were ready to leave and Aubrey picked up her phone and called Val to let her know they'd be there after a while.

"Ready?" Reid asked her.

Aubrey grabbed his hand as they walked out of his basement and upstairs. "Bye we'll be back." Aubrey yelled to the Garwin's as they passed through the foyer to the front door.

"Sweets?" Reid asked putting on his best innocent smile. Aubrey frowned.

"Promise me you'll be careful Reid?" She asked as they walked over to her car.

Reid nodded. "Promise?"

"Reid I mean it."

"I know just give me the damn keys." Reid said grinning and holding out his hand. Aubrey dropped the keys into his outstretched palm and his fingers closed around them a triumphant 'yes' whispered from his lips.

"I'm going to die young being in love with you." Aubrey joked.

Reid leaned down somewhat and kissed her gently. "No faith?" He teased.

Aubrey smiled. "Plenty, but you drive like a lunatic."

"Only in my car Sweets." Reid said knowingly. "...And Ty's. But that's it. I know your car means a lot to you, so I'll handle it like I'd handle..." Reid trailed off, tapping his fingers against his chin in thought as they paused in front of the vehicle in question. A grin grew on his lips. "I'll handle it like I'd handle you in my bed." He said huskily.

"Pervert." She whispered teasingly back, standing on tiptoes to kiss him and then spun around and over to the passenger door.

Reid unlocked the car with the key less entry and Aubrey climbed in. Once Reid was in the driver's seat he stuck the key in the ignition and turned it, bringing the engine to life. They both buckled up and he cautiously pulled around the the driveway over the snow. After pulling out of the front gate leading in to the Garwin estate, Reid put the car in second and drove slowly over the snow encased roads. Being such a small town, there wasn't a large population of people to complain about the snowy roads, so they very rarely got cleared when it snowed in the winter.

"My mom loved the snow at Christmas." Aubrey said absently as she looked out on the trees covered in white. It was so white it was almost blinding.

Reid was wondering silently to himself how the Provost had gotten to his house, so early that morning with all the snow, but he didn't say it out loud. Aubrey had told him her father had hired people to drive him when he needed to go places, none of his cars in the garage had been touched in years. "Well I guess we'll just have to spend some time outside today." Reid said reaching over and resting his hand palm up on her thigh. Aubrey slipped her hand into his their fingers linking together.

"Will you build a snowman with me?" Aubrey kidded.

Reid looked over for a split second a smirk on his face and he turned back to the road ahead. "As long as I can make it anatomically correct."

Aubrey giggled. "Snow woman than, that'll be a little less hard to explain to your parents, when they see a anatomically correct snow figure in their backyard...wait did you just say anatomically?"

Reid scoffed. "I know big words, I just chose not to use them, they hurt my brain." He joked.

"You are such a goof." Aubrey laughed softly.

After driving slow for about forty-five minutes they pulled up outside Aubrey's home, the front windows weren't lit a clear indication that her father wasn't home.

Aubrey smiled over at Reid disentangling their hands while he cut the engine. They both got out and Reid walked around the front of the car to Aubrey who was closest to the front door. He took her hand and they walked up to the house. Aubrey let them in with her key code for the lock and they headed straight upstairs to her room. She packed some clothes into her favorite duffel bag and then went in to her bathroom to grab some necessities.

"I'm ready." Aubrey said walking out of her bathroom, to find Reid snooping through her things. "Would you stop that." She said playfully. "There's nothing in there for you."

"What I'm just looking." Reid grinned shutting her top dresser drawer.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Let's go." She said. "I'll call Val on the way."

Spencer:

Aubrey was standing waiting outside the car, wool trench coat held tight around her body. Reid was leaning against the hood of the car. Val came barreling out of the dorms, enthusiastically before she carefully took the steps down a gift bag in her hand. "Here." She thrust the bag at Aubrey grinning from ear to ear as she reached the car.

"It's freezing get in the car." Aubrey instructed with a smile. Val greedily climbed in to the warmth that was the car and Reid and Val joined her.

"Well?" Val asked.

"Val I'm not opening it in the car." Aubrey said.

Val pouted. "Why not?"

"Cause..."

"See you can't come up with a good reason, and trust me you don't want to open that around Reid's 'rents." Val said and Aubrey looked back at her with a raised brow.

"Why not?" She asked.

Val grinned. "Just trust me, you want to open it now. It's actually for you and Reid."

"Oh god." Aubrey said hanging her head with a shake.

Reid smirked. "Open it Sweets."

Aubrey sighed dramatically pulling the neatly placed sheets of tissue from the bag and she peeked inside the bag, nothing was actually wrapped so she didn't have to pull anything out. A blush spread across her cheeks and she brought her face away from the bag. "Val." She said shaking her head.

Val grinned. "What? I figured you two are always all over each other, why not make it fun."

"I can already tell by the blush, you've gotten something completely raunchy." Reid smirked. "I love it."

"Fuzzy black handcuffs, couple different kinds of lube, flavored..."

"Ok let's just stuff this in the back of Reid's closet." Aubrey interrupted Val before she could continue. She stuffed the tissue back in the bag and stuck it on the floor.

"Perfect, we'll save it for a rainy day. Sweets you are a genius!" Reid said making her blush even brighter.

Val and Reid laughed.

Garwin home:

As they pulled up outside Reid's place Aubrey opened the glove compartment and pulled out an long thin white envelope and passed it back to Val. "Sorry it's not decorated, things sort of came up yesterday."

"That's ok." Val said examining the envelope curiously. She turned it over and ripped the seal open. As she pulled the contents out Reid looked at Aubrey questioningly. Aubrey grinned and mouthed a countdown from five. When she hit one Val squealed excitedly. "A ticket? Are you serious?" Val asked leaning forward through the two front seats looking at Aubrey.

"I was going to just have Kat tell you, but I figured I'd surprise both of you. She doesn't know about the ticket, so you might want to send it with your next letter." Val hugged Aubrey enthusiastically.

"You are the best friend I have ever had!" Aubrey laughed.

"Well then I should give myself a pat on the back." She remarked jokingly.

"Are you two going to kiss? Cause if not we should go inside." Reid said. Aubrey looked around Val at Reid with a raised eyebrow and he smirked.

"Perve."

"Lovable though." Reid said getting out of the car. Aubrey and Val got out next, Aubrey making her way to her trunk. She pulled her duffel out stuffing Val's gift inside and then closed her trunk.

"So do you want to tell me what happened?" Val questioned as the girls followed Reid in to the front door.

Aubrey sighed. "Short version. Found a letter, my mom left me in her stuff, my dad isn't my dad, Nicky's my dad and early this morning my father came to drag me home and I lost it."

Val looked at her shocked as they stood in the foyer of the Garwin home. "So?"

"Let's put it this way, I told my father if he had problems with me having a relationship with Reid, and now Nicky that he could just forget I exist."

"Wow." Val murmured. "I'm sorry."

"Eh, don't be it's not your fault my father didn't tell me what my mother told him to. I'll explain it better some other time I just don't want to talk about it." Aubrey said. Reid put his arm around her waist and they walked towards the basement.

"You know Reid I might have to borrow your basement while Kat's here." Val said as they made their way down the stairs.

"Why?" Reid asked.

Val smirked as Aubrey turned her head and grinned at her. "Having a basement apartment is incredibly kinky. You could...oh tie someone to a bed and they could yell and bag and plead and yet no one can hear them."

Reid turned his head as Aubrey dropped her duffel on the couch. "Only if I can watch." Reid replied jokingly

"Why you need pointers?" Val joked back.

"No I know how to satisfy my girl, I figured I could give you some pointers." Reid retorted playfully.

Val scoffed. "Please." She said smugly. "I've been handling my girl since long before you got your hand in Aubrey's panties."

"Val!" Aubrey screeched from Reid's room, having left to put her duffel bag away, and had obviously been keeping in intent ear on the conversation.

"What?" Val asked innocently as Aubrey came back out her cheeks flushed and her eyes locked on Val.

"I told you that in private." Aubrey hissed at her.

Val grinned. "Well it happened in private, but you still told me."

Aubrey shook her head sitting down on the couch and burying her face in one of the throw pillows. Reid grinned sitting down next to her, Val rolled her eyes and started exploring, walking towards the small kitchen. "It's ok Sweets."

"You two love to embarrass me don't you." Aubrey asked lifting her face away from the pillow.

Reid grinned. "Nah it usually just works out that way." He said kissing along her shoulder to her neck and he turned her head to face him so he could kiss her lips.

"Would you two stop sucking face, let's do something." Val said coming back in to the living room.

Aubrey grinned at Reid. "Reid wants to make an anatomically correct snow woman."

Val smirked. "Of course he does."

"Well he wanted to make an anatomically correct snowman, but it'll be easier to explain a snow woman to his parents." Aubrey giggled as Reid helped her up from the couch.

"Did you borrow those jeans from me?" Val asked looking at Aubrey.

Aubrey shook her head. "Their Reid's."

"And they fit?" Val asked curiously

"They're old." Reid lied kissing Aubrey's temple. "We going outside or what?"

"Yeah." Aubrey took his hand all three headed out to the backyard.

Later:

"Oh my god Reid stop." Aubrey scolded playfully knocking the snow out of his hand.

Reid laughed. "What?" He replied.

"Is that what you want in a woman, big breasts? Jesus Reid." Aubrey said throwing a small ball of snow at him playfully. Reid blocked the attack with his arm and then looked at her smirking. Aubrey started to back up. "No, Reid." She managed to get out before he started after her, Aubrey turned around and ran screeching with joyous laughter.

Val was off in the wooded acreage of the Garwin property, had been since Kat had called ten minutes prier. Aubrey ran around a tree and dodged a snowball and then looked around. She didn't see Reid.

"Looking for me?" Aubrey turned just in time for Reid to grab her and they both fell into the soft snow. Aubrey was giggling like mad, after Reid had landed on top of her.

"This snow is so cold." Aubrey said after her giggle fit had calmed.

Reid laughed. "Really, I'm warm...in all the right places." He smirked down at her.

"Reid." Aubrey had meant for her voice to be steady, maybe even a little stern, but instead it was a breathy light plea. Reid bent his head kissing her fervently, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip, before his tongue flicked over it and her mouth opened in compliance.

They stayed like that for a few moments, kissing in the snow. The melting snow around her heated clothing melted and seeping in to Aubrey's clothes. "And just to clarify." Reid said lightly his breathing a bit uneven as he broke slightly from her lips, but didn't pull away. "I love your breasts the way they are."

Aubrey giggled breathlessly before he pressed his lips upon hers once again.

"Reid!"

Reid broke their kiss with a grunt of annoyance. "What?" He yelled over his shoulder. Aubrey lifted her head and looked over his shoulder at Melinda Garwin standing at the double doors leading out to the back yard.

Melinda was grinning. Aubrey waved and laughed. "Hi!" She giggled.

"Reid, Tyler's here. And would you get off the poor girl before you suffocate her." Melinda hollered out to them.

"What a sweet death that would be." Aubrey muttered softly to Reid with a smirk. Reid kissed her again quickly with a light chuckle and then stood helping her up. "I'll go get Val, meet you inside." Aubrey said kindly to Reid.

He nodded. "You sure, I don't want you out in the woods alone?"

Aubrey grinned. "Trust me, whatever Val's doing you don't want to know."

"Maybe I do."

"You really are a pervert. Go inside we'll be in shortly."

"Fine." Reid pouted jokingly and kissed her again.

They split up and Aubrey made her way in to the wooded area of the Garwin estate to find Val. "Val!" She heard so leaves and twigs rustling a little ways away. "Val!" She walked towards the sounds and when she found Val, she gasped turning around. "Jesus Val!"

Val laughed breathlessly. "Babe I gotta go...ya I love you to." Aubrey heard some more movements. "Jesus Aubs you couldn't wait like five more minutes, I was about to..."

"I get the picture, sorry. Next time I'll be sure to leave you out here as it's getting dark, in a wooded area you don't know."

"How do you know you wont get lost?" Val replied with a smirked stepping up next to Aubrey rubbing snow between her hands and then replacing her black gloves.

"Cause I've been back here before."

"Jesus you and Reid have been all over." Val teased.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Oh don't start with me." She replied jokingly. The girls headed in to the house and met up with Reid and Tyler, dinner came about an hour later and then the teens confined themselves to Reid's basement for the remainder of the evening.

AN: Ok so I was having a little trouble with this chapter, so I hope it doesn't suck. It probably does but oh well, I hope at least that you liked it a little. Anyways there's more to come, and what would life be like if Aubrey and Val didn't steer a little trouble, that'll be coming in the not to distant future, plus some Aubrey/Nicky stuff and some more Reid/Aubrey as usual. Ok and I have posted lots of stuff to my page so check it out.


	14. She Loved You Too

Chapter 13: She Loved You Too

"I am so bored!" Val exclaimed after the fifth movie.

"Well what do you want to do?" Aubrey asked, as she was snuggled up to Reid on the couch. Her head lay on his shoulder, a popcorn bowl in his lap and he'd occasionally hold a piece of popcorn to her mouth and she'd snatch it with her teeth. Aubrey wasn't a big popcorn eater, but she'd eat a little if Reid offered it.

"Let's play strip poker." Val suggested.

"No." Reid and Aubrey both said at the same time.

Aubrey tilted her head a bit to look at Reid questioning. He smirked. "What? I don't like to share."

She giggled softly and turned her head back the way it'd been. "Naughty charades? Naked twister? Something!" Val said pleadingly.

"Truth or dare?" Tyler suggested.

"No, Ty you don't want to play that with Val. Trust me." Aubrey said looking over at him slightly.

Tyler frowned. "Why not?"

"Just trust me." Aubrey told him.

"Ok." Tyler said shrugging.

Val pouted. "'Aubs I'm bored!"

"Well I'm sorry, what would you like me to do?" Aubrey asked sarcastically. Then Aubrey had a thought. "How longs it been since any of you have played hide and seek in the dark?"

"Not since we were kids." Reid replied. "Why?"

"Well it's dark outside, we could go try and recapture our youth." She said jokingly.

Val grinned. "Brilliant." She said standing up from the couch.

"Is she always so wired?" Tyler questioned as Val was moving around the basement collecting her jacket, scarf, and beanie.

Aubrey pulled away from Reid and stood with a sigh of dissatisfaction. "Wait till Kat's here, you wont see her for a week." She said getting a chuckle from Reid as he to stood.

"What are you lazy asses waiting for, come on." Val said impatiently like a child.

Aubrey and Reid walked to his room and grabbed their jackets. "May I ask why you suggested this?"

"My mom and I use to play hide and seek at night when I was younger. Especially on Christmas night. She'd bundle me up and give me a glow stick so I wouldn't be afraid of the dark and tell me to go hide and she'd find me." Aubrey stood staring at her hands. "She'd always find me." Reid wrapped his arms around her waist. "She said it was her mother instincts."

Reid rested his head on her shoulder and they swayed slightly. "Sounds like fun." He said sweetly.

"It was." Aubrey told him turning her head and kissing his cheek. "My mom was my best friend growing up. Being a Higgins meant I didn't keep many friends."

"Well you've got me, and Val and the others."

"No you've got the others I barely know them."

Reid grinned. "We'll fix that."

"Come on! STOP DRY HUMPING AND GET YOUR ASSES OUT HERE!" Laughter erupted from the living room and Aubrey groaned.

"God she's corrupting innocent little Tyler." Aubrey giggled softly.

Reid leaned forward kissing her. "We better get out there."

Aubrey and Reid finished putting on their winter outer wear and walked out of his room. "Could you be any ruder?" Aubrey asked.

Val grinned. "I could've said stop finger fucking and get your asses out her."

"Oh ew that's more detail than I needed." Tyler said walking out of the basement apartment and up the stairs.

Val looked at Aubrey. "That boy needs to get laid."

"Agreed!" Reid cheered.

"Guys stop picking on Ty."

"Thanks Aubrey." Tyler said at the top of the stairs.

Aubrey grinned. "No don't pick, help. Val we'll make him a Match dot come page tonight."

"What?" Tyler exclaimed. "No, don't do that."

"Reid what do you think?" Aubrey asked as they all made their way towards the back doors.

Reid smirked over at Tyler. "Sorry man, girls gotta point. If you wont find a girl on your own, we're going to help you."

"But an online match site, please kill me now." Tyler said shaking his head.

"Oh it wont be that bad. We'll even screen the loonies for you." Val said grinning at him. "Me and Aubrey will only set you up with the girls that make it through us first."

"Oh and I trust your judgment. A lesbian and a loner."

"Hey!" Aubrey said slightly offended.

Reid looked at Tyler. "Dude, not cool."

Tyler groaned. "Sorry Aubrey."

"Sweet, kind, sensitive, shy, smart, good-looking..." Val kept ticking off qualities as they walked outside into the dark snowy backyard.

"No cheating." Aubrey whispered to Reid giving him the look.

Reid smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it. So who goes first?"

"I want to seek first." Val said enthusiastically raising her hand.

"Fine, cover your eyes and count to fifty." Reid said. Aubrey, Reid and Tyler headed off into the backwoods of the property and so the game began.

When it came around to Aubrey's turn she shut her eyes, standing on the back cement patio that lead into the grass just off the house and counted to fifty. As she started her quest into the woods to find the other's she felt an odd sense of calm wash over her. She hadn't done this in ages, not since her mother had gotten sick.

The rustling of leaves behind her hand her spinning around, and then again, and again until she decided it was simply the wind and continued on in search of her boyfriend, and two friends. The light crunch of the snow packing beneath her feet made Aubrey smile. There hadn't been a decent snow like this in a while. Sure it stayed cold, and it snowed, but not like it had in that one previous night.

An unfamiliar noise had Aubrey turning around looking into the dark wood, the only way to see into the darkness was by the gleam of the white snow, it acted as a movement detector. "Guys." She said softly. She could see a shadow in the whiteness and she began backing up as the sight of a rather large wolf came into view.

"This is not happening." She whispered softly to herself staring wide eyed at the creature before her. The animal began stalking towards her teeth bared menacingly and Aubrey turned quickly and started running in any direction she could, while avoiding the many trees and bushes. "Reid!" She yelled, probably a bad idea, but her boyfriend was a witch he could do...something. "Reid!" Tears were gathering in her eyes as she ran, the sound of the slushing snow behind her a sign the wolf was following.

Chancing a glance over her shoulder Aubrey saw the creature just before plowing into something, firm but soft. Arms wrapped around her. "Sweets! Sweets calm down what's wrong?" Aubrey looked up into the face of her boyfriend tears streaming down her cheeks.

"A...I...a...wolf..." She looked behind her and the creature was no where to be seen. She gasped for breath. "But..." She wheezed looking around frantically for any sign of the creature.

"Was that some trick to get me out of hiding?" Reid asked chuckling.

Aubrey turned back to him shaking her head frantically. "No. No. Reid I want to go inside."

Reid looked at her confused. "Sweets, stop playing." He said smiling at her.

"I'm not!" She practically yelled. "I want to go inside. Please?" She pleaded looking at him her eyes were full of fear.

"Ok." Reid nodded taking her hand and starting for the house.

Aubrey held his hand and hugged his arm keeping him close as tears fell down her eyes. "Hey what gives?" Val and Tyler asked walking towards them.

"Aubrey said she saw a wolf." Reid told them. "She wants to go in..." Reid stopped walking and his blue eyes scanned around the woods. When he stopped he looked back at Tyler. Aubrey noticed this, but Val was none the wiser.

"Aubs you sure you saw a wolf?" Val questioned.

"I'm not crazy, it was following me a-and then...and then Reid...it just disappeared." She said shakily.

"Don't worry Sweets." Reid whispered in her ear as they started on their way to the house once again. "I wont let anything get you."

Aubrey looked up into his eyes and she could see something, something she'd only seen a few times in his eyes. Worry. Reid was a free spirit, worry wasn't an emotion he expressed much, because he usually just flew by the seat of his pants most the time, but on that rare occasion worry did show in his eyes. His gaze moved back ahead as the lit windows of the Garwin home came in to view.

"It's late I should be getting home." Tyler said.

"Me too." Val said.

Aubrey looked down at the snow as they walked. Tyler saw Reid look up at him and the youngest nodded. "Val why don't I give you a lift." Tyler suggested.

Val looked at him curiously. "You sure? The dorms aren't on your way home, it's the opposite direction?"

"Yeah, I actually have to swing by the dorms anyways and pick up some things before I head home. It'll save Reid and Aubrey a trip." Tyler said convincingly.

Val nodded. "Ok, thanks. I just need to use the little girls room." She said with a laugh as they walked inside. They headed for Reid's basement and once inside Val headed off to the bathroom.

"I'm going to get some tea." Aubrey murmured and walked away into the small kitchen. Reid had started keeping tea on hand for when Aubrey was over, she loved tea. From inside the kitchen Aubrey could hear Reid and Tyler whispering. She listened trying not to move to many things around.

"I felt it too." Tyler said.

"You think it was him?" Reid questioned.

"I don't know man, but it wouldn't be the first illusion he'd created."

"Why her? What does she have to do with anything?"

"Your next in line Reid, Pogue ascended last month remember."

"How could I not? It was a blatant reminder March isn't far away. Look we only mention it to Caleb if he sensed it. I can look after Aubrey."

"Alright man."

Aubrey finished making her tea, having microwaved the water instead of waiting for the kettle. As she walked out of the kitchen warm tea held in her gloved hands she saw that Val was just coming from the bathroom. "Alright I'm ready to leave." Val said. She looked up at Aubrey. "Hey put some of those gifts to use and get your mind of that wolf." She said winking at Aubrey.

"Nice try, not happening." Aubrey replied with a halfhearted smirk in return.

"When you get tired of Reid feel free to come stay with me for a few days." Val said giving Aubrey a quick hug.

Aubrey smiled at her somewhat as she pulled away. "Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow?"

"You better. See you." Val said and she walked out the door.

"Later man, Aubrey." Tyler said kindly and then followed after her.

Aubrey looked up at Reid. "What were you and Tyler talking about?"

"Nothing Sweets." Reid shook his head kissing her forehead.

"No, Reid tell me. I heard some of your whispers, what's wrong?" Aubrey insisted. "Please tell me."

"It's probably nothing, it was probably one of the other's, but Ty and I we felt someone use. And we felt it after..."

"After I became the girl who cried wolf." Aubrey said closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Reid I'm not crazy, I know that wolf was there." She said as her eyes opened and peered up at him.

Reid put his arms around her waist holding her close, her hands still grasping her mug between their two torsos. "You're not crazy Sweets, I promise."

"I feel it right now. I mean it was there and then it was just gone." Aubrey said softly.

"If it was an illusion, of sorts, which I'm not say it was, but if it was that would explain it's disappearance." Reid told her comfortingly.

Aubrey sighed. "It was just...to real Reid."

"It's ok." He kissed her forehead again. "Come on let's..." He paused taking her mug from her hands and setting it on his coffee table and then turned back to her. "Go upstairs and have some more apple pie." He said with a smile.

Aubrey took his hand and he lead her upstairs. "Reid?"

"Yeah." He said opening the basement door and using his hand on her lower back to guide her through first and then he followed.

"I think I'm going to go see Nicky tomorrow." She told him as they walked in to the kitchen together. Reid went straight for the fridge and he pulled it open.

"Well if that's what you want to do. Do you want me to go with?" Reid came out from behind the fridge door, holding the pie tin and he walked towards her. Aubrey lead the way back to the basement, having been silent the rest of the way till they were in the small kitchen in his basement.

"No, I think I can go it alone. I mean Nicky's always been really sweet to me." Aubrey said as Reid pulled to plates from the cabinet and started dishing up some pie on both. "Besides, I don't know how much Nicky will say with you around."

"True, he seems to keep to himself." Reid said with a shrug. He grabbed to forks from a drawer and set them on the plates. Picking both plates up he walked over to Aubrey and handed her one kissing the corner of her lips softly. Aubrey smiled and followed him to the living room where they sat on the couch. Aubrey set her plate on the coffee table and removed her snow gear. Leaving her in the black t-shirt and jeans Reid had leant her that morning. Reid did the same thing and then they got comfortable after he turned the TV on to watch criminal shows.

Aubrey had always been fascinated by criminology and Reid had taken to some of her favorite shows after she'd made him watch a few of the series on DVD.

_Flash back:_

_"Please, please, please Reid?" Aubrey pleaded with sad eyes at him and a small pout on her lips. "It's the marathon and I really want to watch it."_

_"But Sweets, I don't like those shows." Reid told her trying not to give in._

_Aubrey bit her lip. "Well why not?"_

_"Just never got in to them."_

_"Come on, if you don't like it after the first episode then we can change the channel, but I've been waiting to see this marathon for like two weeks." Aubrey pouted. "And today was the only day I could sneak away to spend time with you. My father's on another one of his weird little trips. He's always home when he's not at school, and he's always questioning me about my whereabouts."_

_Reid sighed. "Fine." He gave in. "One episode, but if I don't like it, we change it agreed?"_

_"Agreed."_

_"So what do you see in these kinds of shows anyway?" Reid asked her._

_"I really don't know. I've always been fascinated by criminology. It something about the idea of a single strand of hair, being used to identify a rapist or a piece of gum placing someone at a robbery that's always just enraptured me. With just a few simple pieces a criminologist can put together a crime scene and find a guilty party. It's just nice to know that if something happens there's going to be somewhere there to put the pieces together for those left behind."_

_"Is that what you plan to study in college?" Reid questioned._

_Aubrey shook her head, they were snuggled together on his sofa watching his flat screen TV. "No, I don't have the knack for chemistry needed to do a job like that, but I've always wanted to write a crime novel." She told him. "I'm going to hopefully go into the literary program at Brown. What about you?"_

_"I'm a sophomore in high school, I don't necessarily know what I want to do with the rest of my life, but I don't think college is for me." Reid told her. "But I admire that you do."_

_"Well thank you." Aubrey said sweetly lifting her head and receiving a kiss. After that things went silent as they watched the show on the television. When the credits rolled Aubrey bit her lip and looked up at her boyfriend. "So?"_

_"It doesn't suck. But I guessed the ending like ten minutes in." Reid told her._

_Aubrey smiled. "They aren't all that predictable, but some are. So, can we keep watching?"_

_Reid sighed dramatically and then smiled. "Sure." She said pulling her in closer, his arm around her shoulder. And they set in for a long marathon._

_End Flash back:_

After they'd finished their pie and watched some TV Reid noticed Aubrey hadn't made any sounds in a while and he looked down to see that she'd fallen asleep. Her head on his shoulder, one arm behind his low back, the other rested delicately across his abdomen. Her legs were drawn up on the sofa, tucked underneath her body.

He grabbed the remote and shut the TV off. Gently he weaseled his way out from the corner of the couch, making sure to be as careful as possible not to wake Aubrey. Once he was up he turned back and carefully slipped one arm beneath her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck before slipping the other around her back.

Out of instinct her arms tightened as he lifted her up from the couch and started for his room. Aubrey nestled against his chest as Reid pushed his bedroom door open with his foot and made his way over to his bed. He gently set her down, on the unmade bed, a soft content sigh escaping her lips as she turned onto her side, her hands going beneath the pillow he head lay on and her legs angled a bit at the knee.

Not wanting her to wake uncomfortable he gently undid the snap and zipper of his old jeans and cautiously pulled them down her legs and over her now bare feet, she removed her socks sometime while they'd been watching tv, Aubrey preferred to be barefoot in the house. Leaving her in the black t-shirt and her black with white zebra stripe boy short panties he pulled the bedding up over her.

Reid went to his side and stripped down to his boxers and undershirt before climbing into his bed. He moved over close to Aubrey wrapping his arm around her waist, the arm that she wasn't laying on, her left, came out from under the pillow and wrapped over his out of instinct. Holding her back close to his chest, Reid gently kissed the back of her head and lay his head on the pillow behind her, soon following her into the land of sleep.

Next Day:

Aubrey pulled up outside of Nicky's, almost regretting her decision to not have Reid come with her. The bar was closed, Nicky always closed for Christmas. He closed for the night before and the day after, it was like his mini vacation of sorts, since he spent the majority of the year open.

_Flash back:_

_Waking up in Reid's arms Aubrey found herself smiling. The thought of getting use to things being this way just had her smiling that much more. Silently she slipped from his grasp, as she climbed out of the bed she noticed her pants were missing, but she wasn't alarmed. Reid was a sweet, caring guy who had no intention of harming her. Now had she woken up next to Aaron without pants she'd be worried. Aaron was a skeeze, no doubt._

_But Reid would never do anything. So she made her way over to her duffel bag and pulled out some clothes before heading in to the bathroom to shower and change. After turning the shower on as hot as she could handle and stripping out of her clothing Aubrey stepped into the corner shower space. The walls were covered in standing pebble tiles, to give the effect of stacked pebbles. The base of the shower was simply grouted black tile. The door was simply glass, that fogged over in the heat of the room. _

_The hot water ran over her cool body and into her hair. Aubrey turned so her back was to the shower head and let the water hit the top of her head, sweeping her hair back. Water ran down her face, her collarbone and breasts, like rain drops on a leaf. She quickly washed her hair and body before getting out of the shower, naked as the day she was born while she reached for one of the black cotton towels. The door opened and she glance up in time to see Reid's shock and him turned around._

_"Sorry." He said quickly not turning back, his hands till on the door handle._

_Aubrey snatched the towel and wrapped herself in it. "Nothing you haven't seen before." Aubrey said giggling softly. "Well sort of, but I'm not shy around you. Only when other people are around. You can look Reid." _

_Reid turned around a grin on his face. "So I'll be seeing more of you naked?" He said in a joking manor as he walked further in to the bathroom._

_A smile formed on Aubrey's lips. "Maybe." She took a step closer to him and Reid brought his arms around her waist, Aubrey's coming up and around his neck as he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Aubrey grinned her eyes closed as she tiptoed up, closing the gap he'd purposefully put between them after that soft contact. Reid responded to her lips, as passion practically poured from them. _

_Little whimpers and moans escaped from Aubrey's lips, into Reid's mouth as he gently nibbled and licked her bottom lip. Figuring he'd begged enough for entrance Aubrey opened her mouth to him allowing his tongue inside to explore the depths of her oral cavity. Their tongues clashed and fought for dominance desperately pushing back and forth from one mouth to the other._

_The kiss began to settle and after a long while they broke away breathing heavily. "Good morning to you to." Reid smirked._

_Aubrey sweet girlish giggle rang out into his ears. "I was just getting ready to go to Nicky's." Aubrey told him._

_"What makes you think he's at the bar?" Reid questioned her curiously._

_"A hunch." Aubrey told him with a smile. "His place his right behind it anyways, he's not that hard to locate."_

_"Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" Reid asked._

_Aubrey nodded. "Yeah this I have to do alone."_

_Reid sighed, but nodded acknowledging her words. "So when do you have to go?"_

_"Whenever, but sooner rather than later." Aubrey replied._

_"So how about I help you get ride of some of those nerves?" Reid asked huskily, moving his lips to her ear, his teeth nipping at the lobe._

_Aubrey bit her and let out a soft moan. "By all means." She murmured as he kissed along her jaw to her lips. She broke the kiss though when he lifted her up by the waist and proceeded to carry her from the bathroom back to bed._

_End Flash back:_

Aubrey smiled at the memory of the morning, they still hadn't had sex but Reid knew what he was doing. She'd managed to relax enough while in his arms, but now all those nerves were starting to come back. To bad her remedy was back at his place. She giggled at that thought and then turned the engine to her car off and climbed out. Walking towards the front door of the bar Aubrey took a deep breath and knocked.

She heard loud, almost thundering steps from inside. Obviously noticeable when the bar was empty, and no music was playing. "Sorry we're closed." The door opened, but the barred screen door remained closed, Nicky on the other side. He paused when he saw her. "Aubrey?"

Aubrey smiled at him kindly. "Hey. You remember my freshmen year when I came in here crying and you said if I ever wanted to talk to stop by?"

"Of course." Nicky said looking a little uncertain though.

"I'd like to talk?" Aubrey asked apprehensively.

Nicky seemed to think on this for a moment before unlocking the barred screen door and pushing it open as Aubrey stepped back. .When it was open he nodded his head into the bar and she walked passed him inside. He closed and locked the screen door and then just shut the wood door.

"Wow, it's strange being here, when no one else is around." Aubrey murmured looking around the empty bar.

"It's peaceful." Nicky said walking around her towards the bar. "Did you want something to eat?"

"Uh no, but I'll take a coke, if you don't mind."

"No not at all, have a seat and tell doctor Nicky what's wrong." Aubrey had taking to calling Nicky her doctor, sometime around the middle of Sophomore year, if she had a problem that she didn't want to talk to her father about and that Reid wouldn't understand she would vent to Nicky. But she hadn't heard him call himself that to her in a while. "Is it Reid? Your father?"

Aubrey sat on one of the barstools. "My father."

"Unfortunately Aubrey he's always going to try and control your life, all parents do it to their kids, but you just need to put your foot down and tell him no." Nicky told her.

"Actually, I was referring to you." Aubrey said bluntly.

Nicky stopped pouring her soda and looked over at her shocked. "I'm sorry?"

"I know." Aubrey said looking down at the bar, biting her lip her nerves starting to come back. "I know your my biological father. My mom left me a letter and I found it with her things in the attic. Along with this photo." She pulled the photo from the pocket of her black leather jacket and set it on the bar. She pushed it across towards Nicky his eyes moving from her down to the photo on the counter. "You two were high school sweethearts."

Nicky's eyes became glassy and he pushed the photo back towards her. "I don't know what this is but you don't need to do this."

"Do what?" Aubrey asked a bit taken a back.

"I can't give you anything Aubrey, you should just forget what you know and move on." Nicky told her.

"Obviously that hasn't worked so well for you." Aubrey said it a bit bitterly. "Look, I just I want... I want to get to know you."

"Why? I'm no good for you. I own a bar I make enough money to pay bills and keep myself a float. I'm not special. You've got a good thing with Higgins, he cares about you and he can give you the things I can't." Nicky said shaking his head his eyes not looking at her.

Aubrey pursed her lips and took another breath. "But I'm your daughter. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Of course it does." Nicky said finally looking back up at her. "The first time you walked in here, I saw your mother in your eyes. When you told me your name I honestly just didn't know what to think. But you kept coming back and I guess that was enough for me."

"Well it's not for me. My father and I we're different and I've always wondered why. I've always known I was more like my mother, but now this explains a lot." Aubrey told him. "Ever since my mother died he's been unbearable, and suffocating. I just wanted to get good grades, graduate, and go to Brown. But he wanted other things, and then the whole Reid thing, you don't understand what it's like living in a life you don't feel like you belong in. Being with Reid's the first time I've felt like I belong somewhere other than with my mom." Their were tears in Aubrey's eyes. "I just need to know where I really come from."

Nicky sighed. "Aubrey..."

"I just want some sort of relationship with you. More than me coming in and talking to 'doctor Nicky'. I don't have to call you dad and no one has to know if you don't want them too, but just something, please?" Aubrey asked.

"I wouldn't feel right if you called me dad. I didn't raise you I don't deserve an honor like that, but if you want it so desperately I can give you my time, we can get to know each other and I can share things about your mom from when we were together." Nicky suggested with a kind smile.

A tear slipped down from Aubrey's eye and she wiped it away. "I would like that very much." She said with a smile. "First things first, what do you think of Reid?"

Nicky gave a low chuckle. "Good kid, causes trouble sometimes but a good kid none the less."

Aubrey smiled. "Good."

"So..."

"Where'd I get my name from?" Aubrey asked him. She'd always wondered, but never knew where her name had come from. Her mother had told her she was named after someone, but she never said who.

Nicky smiled softly. "My mom. She passed away when I was a teenager."

"Something we have in common." Aubrey mumbled looking down at the bar again.

"Your mom loved you, don't forget that." Nicky told her. Aubrey nodded. "What else do you want to know?"

"Anything you are willing to share." Aubrey replied.

"Well your mother and I met back in high school, we didn't really hit it off at first. I met her in town one day when she was out with some friends. She cracked jokes about me being a loser and I told my friends she was a stuck up snob."

"Sounds like love." Aubrey said sardonically with a giggle.

Nicky laughed shortly. "About a week later I was leaving the drug store and it started raining. I spotted her across the street getting soaked from head to toe I offered her a ride where ever she needed to go, because I was feeling in a good mood, and she reluctantly asked me to take her to Spencer. Since it was a fifteen minute drive I started up conversation and we talked a little. By the time we arrived at the school I had her laughing. I chanced it and asked her on a date, she wrote her phone number on old candy bar wrapper from the floor and kissed my cheek."

Aubrey smiled. "That's Sweet. It was sort of the same for Reid and I. Our teacher asked me to tutor him in math and I said ok but Reid didn't take to the idea right away, he called me a teachers pet and walked out of the classroom. Later though he came to me and asked me to tutor him, I said no cause I'd already offered my time and he had turned me down. He was persistent for a while and then I finally cracked and decided to tutor him. After we started seeing each other I noticed that Reid brought out the free spirit in me and I brought out the calm studiousness in him."

Aubrey and Nicky continued talking for a long while until Aubrey realized it had gone from being early afternoon to early evening and she had dinner plans with the Garwin's before they left on their late flight. "Oh shoot, I uh have to go. I've got to go to dinner with Reid and his folks, they are flying out tonight to see his aunt." Aubrey told Nicky.

"No problem." Nicky walk around the bar and towards the front door, Aubrey following behind. "Hey uh would you like to join me for dinner sometime, so we can talk some more?" Nicky asked.

Aubrey looked up at him and smiled. "I'd love to, but what about this place?"

"I have bartenders who have worked here long enough they could run it for an evening." Nicky told her. "So when you come in next time, we'll talk?"

"Sure. And Nicky?"

"Yeah."

"She loved you too." Aubrey said and tiptoed up kissing his cheek and walked out of the bar.

AN: So I am going to leave it there, it's almost 4am and I am exhausted. So you got a little, drama and then some Reid/Aubrey and I hope you all enjoyed the first bit of Aubrey/Nicky stuff. So just let me know what you think! I didn't get many reviews last chapter, I might decide to hold the next one hostage if I don't get enough reviews. I like feedback it helps me write better. Please review!


	15. Lollipop

Chapter 14: Lollipop

"Oh here's one, she's from Boston and her names Mac short for MacKenzie." Val suggested. Aubrey and Val were laying on the floor of Reid's basement apartment, laptops open scrolling threw all the messages Tyler had gotten on his match dot com site. "She likes running and sailing. Loves animals and doesn't mind getting dirty. Her idea of a perfect date is someone that'll listen and take her to see classic horror movies."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "No. For the last time no, no, no."

Aubrey grinned. "Ok how about this girl? Her name is Jack short for Jacquelyn and she's from the outskirts of Boston. She's seventeen and on the high school yearbook staff. She loves art, mostly photography and she likes to sing in the school choir. Jack has two dogs, that she rescued from an animal shelter and loves taking them with her when she goes hiking."

Tyler started to speak and Val smirked. "Oh no you don't. You said 'for the last time' you can't say no again Ty."

Aubrey bumped fists with Val and turned back to the screen. "She's blond with brown eyes and slender. She's got a bit of an athletic womanly physique and she does a little modeling."

"Dude if you don't date her I will." Reid said from where he was sitting on the couch. Aubrey looked over her shoulder at him glaring. "What? I meant if I didn't have you Sweets."

"Uh huh sure you did." Aubrey said turning back around.

Tyler sighed. "Do I have a choice?"

"You always have a choice, but the sooner we find you a girl the sooner I stop feeling guilty for stealing Reid all the time." Aubrey said.

"So this is really for you." Tyler said jokingly.

Aubrey shrugged. "If you want to say it that way, sure. But you really need a girlfriend. I'm surprised your still single, your cute and charming."

"Ok now I think it's my turn to be a little offended." Reid said playfully throwing a pillow at Aubrey.

She giggled but returned to her laptop after turning and childishly sticking her tongue out him. "So what do you say Ty? Just two dates? The one each of us chose and if it doesn't work with either of them, then we'll take the page down and stop hassling you and let you be celibate for the rest of your life." Aubrey offered.

Tyler looked at Reid. "Dude don't look at me, I'm all for this." Reid said grinning at him.

"Fine. Fine you win. If this falls through both of you leave my love life alone." Tyler caved.

"Agreed." Val and Aubrey both said and frantically started messaging back to the two prospects. When they'd finished Aubrey grabbed a piece of paper from Reid's coffee table and a pen and jotted down where Tyler was going to meet her girl and then passed it to Val, so that they wouldn't forget.

"Mac is on Friday at eight, you're going to meet her for dinner in Boston. And Jack is Saturday, you'll meet with her for coffee here in Ipswich." Aubrey told him.

Tyler groaned. "Why am I letting you two do this again?"

"You aren't letting us, we sort of just did it and you crumbled." Val said smiling at him victoriously.

"Right." Tyler nodded. "That was it."

"Can you guys believe it's almost the end of January?" Val asked.

Aubrey shrugged. "I don't know, the months been going kind of slow for me."

"Yeah well you've got that dinner with Nicky Saturday night, so of course it's going slow you're excited." Val told her. Aubrey closed her laptop and set it on Reid's coffee table after having got up and made her way over to the couch. She plopped down next to Reid and even though he was thumbing through a magazine he lifted his arm and she snuggled into him, his arm resting around her shoulder.

Tyler was really the only of Reid's friends who knew the full story of Aubrey's father situation, while the other's had only bits a pieces. Aubrey wasn't completely comfortable around them on normal day to day basis' even though they were very accepting of her, she wasn't use to having so many friends and now she had four more, plus Tyler, Val and Reid. It was a little overwhelming to be thrust into a group like that but Aubrey was working through it. She'd try and sit with Sarah or Kate if they shared a class, and she'd eat with them at lunch and would try and go with them shopping if they asked. But sometimes she just liked being in the company of a small crowd like right now.

"I wouldn't say excited, more like anxious." Aubrey told them.

Reid kissed her temple. "It's ok to be anxious. You first talked on mutual ground, it was in a way comforting, but now your both leaving the comfort zone, so nerves are to be expected."

"Who are you and what have you done with Reid Garwin?" Tyler asked with a chuckle.

Aubrey smiled. "Thanks." She kissed his cheek. Aubrey and Reid had spent the last month closer than ever. Without the constant drag of her father looming over her Aubrey and Reid's relationship was out in the open, again. They shared a few classes with the new trimester and sat next to each other in each one. Reid walked Aubrey to each class whether it meant being late to his own or not. When they'd reach the classroom door, every time Reid would give her a deep passionate kiss as other students walked in to class.

The minute bell would ring and usually the teacher would have to come and personally tell them to separate and for Reid to get on to his own class.

After about the tenth time Aubrey had gotten use to it. Her father had actually witnessed it once. Which had Aubrey giggling slightly to herself at just the thought.

_Flash back:_

_"So, I'll see you after class." Reid told her with a grin._

_Aubrey decided to play it up this time and smiled coyly back. "But that's so far away." She said holding on to the lapels of his school issued blazer and looking up at him with playfully mischievous eyes._

_"How about something to tide you over till later?" Reid grinned._

_"Whatever do you mean?" Aubrey asked teasingly sarcastic._

_Reid smirked and his face moved down hovering in front of hers for only a moment. "This." He said his voice gruff with desire. He swooped in crushing his lips to hers in a powerful dominating kiss. His tongue prying passed her lips taking firm control of the lip lock. Aubrey moaned into his mouth as their slick tongues slipped deliciously around inside her mouth. But not being one to take his domination Aubrey pressed back pushing his tongue back into his mouth and forcing hers inside with it. Her hand came up her fingers on his neck, thumb looped up next to his ear. _

_Someone cleared their throat and both teens broke away reluctantly, heavy panting going on and eyes locked on one another._

_"Mr. Garwin I believe you have a different class to get to, and as for you Aubrey the minute bell rang forty-five seconds ago." Both looked over to see Provost Higgins standing there eying them distastefully. "I suggest you get in that class before your late." _

_Everything from Christmas was still fresh in her mind and still being a bit upset with him Aubrey decided she'd mock him. She moved her hand back down to the lapel of Reid's jacket and pulled him towards her as she took a step back, both feet firmly in the classroom door. "There I'm not late." Aubrey said as the bell rang._

_Reid smirked at her and turned his attention back to Higgins. "But Mr. Garwin is. That's the third time this week Mr. Garwin I have no choice, but to assign you after school detention. One hour in the library."_

_Reid just rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He turned back to his girlfriend. "After class?"_

_"I'll be waiting." Aubrey told him sweetly. She pecked a kiss to his cheek and turned finishing the walk in to class. _

_End Flash back:_

"So I think I'm going to go. My mom wants me to meet her for dinner tonight." Tyler said standing from the lazy boy chair.

"Alright man." Reid moved himself off the couch, noticing the reluctance of his girlfriend to let him up. "I'll walk you out."

"We'll talk about your dates tomorrow at lunch!" Val said loudly.

Tyler grumbled. "Fine. Bye Aubrey, Val."

"Bye." They both chirped.

Once the boys were out of the room Aubrey looked down at the floor at her best friend. "So, do you think he'll actually do it?"

"I think so, especially if I threaten to go along with him to make sure he goes." Val grinned.

Aubrey laughed softly moving to the corner seat where Reid had been and snuggling in to the warmth. "I'm surprised you and Ty are so close, you haven't known each other long."

"Well he's fun to get drunk and he can carry a decent clean conversation." Val informed her. "Besides, I need someone other then you to hang with cause you ditch me for Reid." She joked.

"I do not. Well not all the time." Aubrey said with a giggled. "But I'll try to be more flexible with my time. Now that I don't have to sneak around with Reid, our time together will probably triple and we'll get so sick of each other we just need a break."

"Doubtful, you two are head over heels. What are you usually thinking about when you're in a room full of people?"

"Reid or this whole father development, but most the time Reid and my sudden bout of claustrophobia." Aubrey kidded.

Val smiled. "It's the same with Kat. Even in a room full of people, my mind can wander to her in a second flat."

"What are you two ladies talking about? Me I hope and maybe a threesome in our future." Reid walked back in, a stupid shit eating grin on his face.

Aubrey looked up at him and rolled her eyes. "No, baby we don't talk about threesomes, it doesn't even cross our mind."

"If you want a foursome, I can talk to Kat." Val said from the floor.

"She does?" Reid said in a jokingly smug manor as he sat next to Aubrey.

"Well she's a cheap whore." Aubrey shot back at her friend playfully.

"Touche." Val said looking over her shoulder and grinning at the duo. "So Aubs I was thinking?"

"Well there's where you went wrong." Aubrey teased.

Val made a face at her and then shut her laptop and sat up turning around. "I was thinking that, I need a new roommate and you can't live with your boyfriend."

"And why the hell not?" Reid asked defensively. He put his arms around Aubrey and pulled her close. "She's my girl I don't see why she can't stay with me."

Aubrey sighed. "She's got a point Reid. I can't stay here, your parents have been really sweet about letting me stay this long, but you haven't stayed in the dorms since school started back up and that leaves Ty all alone, not to mention your parents are paying for a dorm that you haven't been using."

Reid made an unhappy face. "Fine, you make a good point."

"Awe cheer up dude, she wont be far away if your both in the dorms. And I can trust Ty not to take advantage of me so it's not like roommate swapping isn't a possibility." Val said chuckling at her own words.

Aubrey laughed. "Roommate swapping, huh? Well now I feel cheap." They all shared a good laughed about it and then Val took Aubrey's car and headed back to the school, leaving Aubrey with Reid.

Friday:

"Now Ty be the gentlemen we know you are." Aubrey said fixing his tie. They'd gotten Tyler and his date, Mac, reservations at an elegant five star restaurant in Boston and he was now dressed in a black suit, navy button up and baby blue silk tie.

"I feel like an idiot. This isn't me." Tyler said frustrated as he loosened the tie Aubrey had just tightened.

Aubrey and Val looked at him. "You wasn't working." They said together.

"Awe he looks so cute. Doesn't he Kate?" Sarah asked as they walked in to Tyler and Reid's dorm room without knocking.

Kate wiped away a fake tear and sniffled. "Our Baby boy is growing up."

Pogue and Caleb came in behind their girlfriends laughing as they shut the door. "Dudes get your girls under control." Tyler said irritably.

Pogue looked at Caleb. "Man I thought I'd never live to see this day."

"Me either man, but finally Baby boy is going on his first date." Caleb and Pogue busted up.

"I've been on dates." Tyler grumbled crossing his arms over his chest.

"With who skanks from Nicky's? No that isn't a date, that's a hook up and it's only a hook up if you get laid. Which you kind of scream virgin to me." Val stated boldly. "And you admitted to that much the first night I got you shit faced. So buck up dude."

Tyler walked in to the bathroom and shut the door locking it. "Oh now you've done it." Aubrey said looking at Val trying not to laugh. She walked over to the door and knocked. "Ty?"

"I'm not going, this is so stupid. I can't believe I let you talk me in to this." Reid came over to the door and stood with Aubrey.

"Man come on the girls are just trying to help you find happiness."

"Then why do I feel like a complete idiot." Tyler defended still on the other side of the bathroom door.

"You aren't an idiot Ty. Come out please." Sarah came over. "If you don't go that pour girls going to be sitting there alone in a nice dress and it's going to break her little heart."

They heard the lock click and the door opened. Aubrey, Sarah and Reid all stepped back from the door as Tyler stepped through. "Fine I'll go, but only because it's too late to cancel and I'm too nice to stand her up."

"You are." Aubrey said with a smile. "Just try to go into this positively. We'll stop mocking you, promise."

Tyler sighed and nodded. "Fine."

"Good."

"Ok." Everyone was in agreement. They wished Tyler luck and sent him on his way to Boston in his hummer. As they all stood outside the school, bundle in warm winter coats and the girls standing next to their respective others Val struck up conversation watching the tail lights of the Hummer disappear.

"Fifty bucks says they hit it off." Val said smirking.

"Nope, I don't think she'll be his type." Aubrey shook her head. "My money is on coffee with Jack tomorrow."

"How do you know?" Reid questioned.

"We had the girls pick what they wanted to do, Mac said a fancy dinner. While Jack chose coffee, it's a great relationship starter." Aubrey told him.

"And that says what?" Pogue asked.

"It says Mac's, high maintenance and a bit expensive, where as Jack is easy going and simple to please." Aubrey explained. "Take me and Reid for example, he's never taken me to a proper restaurant, but I love that about him."

"Girls are weird sometimes." Reid stated.

"Agreed." Val nodded. "And I am one, but do you think I understand half the stuff Kat puts me through, nope not a clue."

Aubrey giggled. "I was just saying."

Next morning:

Aubrey and Val got up earlier then necessary and headed to the dorm room of Reid and Tyler. They just walked in since Reid had made Aubrey a key to the dorm. Aubrey walked over to Reid's bed and climbed under the comforter, snuggling into his warm chest. While Val decided to sit on the edge of Tyler's bed and poke him till he woke up.

"Wake up. Wake up." She kept chanting with each poke.

Tyler growled. "Go away." He said rolling on to his side away from her.

"How was the date Romeo?"

"She talked incessantly and I'm not one to get creeped out easily, but she kept starring at me like she wanted to rip my clothes off and fuck me on the table in the middle of the restaurant."

"Isn't that what most guys want?" Val said sarcastically.

"Not this guy." Tyler grumbled.

"Man quite being a pussy, you have one more date and it's over if you don't like her so shut up and Val let him go back to sleep." Reid growled pulling Aubrey in closer to him.

"I'm going to the showers." Val said smacking Tyler in the back before standing and walking out of the room.

Aubrey fell back into a light sleep with Reid until about an hour later when Tyler was up and moving about the room. "Morning." Aubrey said rolling on to her back and look at Tyler.

"Morning. And yes it really was that bad." Tyler said turning and looking at her.

Aubrey smiled. "Kind of figured it would be. To high maintenance."

"Then why'd you make me go?" He asked leaning back against his dresser.

"It was Val's pick and you agreed."

"Would the two of you shut up please." Reid grumbled into Aubrey's neck. She giggled.

"Wake up sleepy." Aubrey said her hand coming up, her fingers gently running down the side of his face.

"No." Reid pouted.

"Yes." Aubrey said.

"I'm going to head to the showers, I feel dirty." Tyler told them.

"It couldn't have been that bad." Aubrey mused looking at him.

Tyler scoffed. "When we said goodnight, she kissed my cheek and groped me, I think it was that bad."

"Dude, she wanted you." Reid lifted his head looking at his best friend through sleepy eyes. "And you came back here?" He asked tiredly incredulous.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "I don't want an easy lay Reid. I didn't even want to go in the first place."

"I think you'll like Jack." Aubrey said.

"Doubt it. I'm going now." With that Tyler walked out.

"Why is he so reluctant?" Aubrey questioned her boyfriend.

Reid sighed. "Ty's always been shy with girls. I think the whole online thing was just out of his comfort zone."

"The whole female population is out of his comfort zone, but he's got to get over it." Aubrey said with a soft giggle as she rolled onto her side facing him. Her fingers gently combing through his hair.

"I love when you do that." Reid sighed contently as his eyes fell shut and he just breathed in and out slowly, his arm flung loosely over Aubrey's waist. Her fingers continued brushing through his bed tousled blond locks for a few moments. "I want Ty to have this. I know he doesn't say it, but he feels alone." Reid murmured, neither resting party having noticed the door open a pinch.

"He doesn't have to, it's written on his face whenever we're all out together." Aubrey said softly.

The door shut quietly again and Tyler stood leaning back against it contemplating their words. He'd never really been able to hide much from Reid growing up being best friends. Reid had always seen through his lies and why should this be any different. Reid and Aubrey were right he felt alone, left out. But Aubrey was wrong about one thing, he didn't hate her for stealing his best friend, he was happy Reid had found something that made him happy.

After a few moments he walked in, being a little louder the second time around. "Forgot my change of clothes." Tyler said as Reid and Aubrey went silent.

"Ty if you don't want to go today I can go and let her know you couldn't make it." Aubrey said.

Tyler thought about this for a moment and then shook his head looking over at his roommates bed. "No, I'll go. And if it doesn't work out, so be it." He said casually.

Aubrey nodded. "Ok."

"Hey man, Aubrey and I were gonna get coffee together this afternoon, why don't we just show up and 'run into you.'" Reid said using air quotes jokingly.

Aubrey giggled. "Reid." She said pulling the lobe of his ear.

He growled. "What?" Reid replied defensively.

Tyler laughed at them. "Sure if you want to do that."

"Really?" Aubrey asked confused.

Tyler shrugged. "Sure, maybe it'll be a little less awkward for me with friends there."

"Ok." Aubrey agreed looking up at him.

With a smile Tyler grabbed his clothes, shower bag, and left the room leaving Reid and Aubrey alone once again.

Afternoon:

"Reid." Aubrey giggled as he shoved her while they walked down the sidewalk along the little shops in town. Shoving him back playfully Reid rammed sideways into a trashcan.

"Ow." He whined rubbing at his leg while he laughed.

Aubrey stuck her tongue out at him. "That's what you get meany." She teased.

Reid grabbed her around the waist and smirked down at her. "You know you could be using that tongue for better things."

"Like?" Aubrey grinned.

"Licking lollipops." Reid said grinning deviously at her. His eyes glazed over hungrily and Aubrey smirked.

"I like lollipops." She said innocently.

Reid bit back a groan an image popping into his mind. "I have a lollipop you can lick." He mumbled, but Aubrey did hear him.

And deciding that she didn't want to come off as a prude to her more than orally capable boyfriend Aubrey tiptoed up as they waited to cross the street and licked quickly at the lobe of his right ear. "Maybe if you're good boy." She whispered seductively in his ear and then stood normal looking ahead of her to the crosswalk sign.

Reid's eyes about popped out of his head as he looked down at his girlfriend in utter shock. Aubrey glanced at him quickly and gave him a flirty wink before pulling him across the street. And just as he was about to finally comment back Aubrey dragged him in to the small Starbucks. They saw Tyler instantly in the back of the corner, the sound of his laugh bouncing off the walls.

Tyler looked up catching their eye and waved slightly with a smile, the girl seated across from him had her back to them as they walked over. "Hey guys." Tyler said.

Aubrey smiled and Reid was still slightly stunned at Aubrey's last comment, so he just nodded his head in greeting. "Ty." Aubrey said kindly.

"Aubrey, Reid this is Jack, Jack this is my best friend Reid and his girlfriend Aubrey." Jack turned and her beautiful brown eyes looked up at them. Her complexion was soft a mildly olive tinted. Her hair blond and done in two French braids.

Aubrey smiled at her sweetly. "It's nice to meet you." She said offering the young girl her hand.

Jack shook hands with Aubrey then looked at Reid. "Is he mute?"

"No." Aubrey giggled. "Just a little shell shocked." She added looking at Reid out of the corner of her eye a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "Reid." She smacked him in the chest lightly and he looked at her. "Say hello to Tyler's friend, Jack."

Reid looked at the girl and nodded. "Hi."

"Baby will you go get us drinks." Aubrey asked softly.

"Yeah." Reid nodded. "Why don't you get us a table?"

Before Aubrey could reply Jack spoke up. "Well why don't you guys sit with us, there's plenty of room for two more." She was so kind and Aubrey could tell from the smile on Tyler's face that they were getting along.

"Oh no, we'd hate to intrude." Aubrey said convincingly.

Jack smiled. "Nonsense, sit or I'll be offended."

"You heard the girl Sweets." Reid kissed her cheek. "Your usual madame?" He asked sarcastically.

Aubrey giggled. "Yes please."

Reid walked off and Aubrey took a seat next to Jack, Reid would sit directly across from her when he returned with their drinks. "So, what brings you and Reid in town?" Tyler asked striking up conversation.

"Well we were just hanging out a little before my dinner tonight." Aubrey said sweetly giving Tyler a secret wink. "So Jack, that's a unique name for a girl?"

"Actually it's Jacquelyn, but I prefer Jack." She explained kindly. Reid came over and took his seat setting the coffee cup in his left hand in front of Aubrey. She smiled. The four started chatting idly.

Later:

Aubrey looked down at her watch. "Damn, I have to go meet Nicky." She said standing up and throwing out her coffee.

"I drove." Reid said standing. He looked back at Tyler. "Hey man I'll catch you later at the dorms?"

"Yeah. See ya." Tyler said and they bumped fists.

Aubrey smiled at Jack. "It was nice to meet you."

"You too." Jack said kindly.

Reid took Aubrey's hand and they left the cafe and started down the street where Reid had parallel parked. "So?" Aubrey asked.

"She was nice, could definitely be Baby Boy's type." Reid told her honestly.

"I think they were getting alone really well, even before we showed up two hours ago." Aubrey giggled.

"Speaking of two hours ago..." Reid smirked.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Aubrey said sardonically.

"You know." Reid said. Of course Aubrey knew. She grinned inwardly as Reid tugged playfully on her hand.

"No, really I haven't got the slightest idea what your talking about." Aubrey said shaking her head playfully.

They reached his car and Reid turned Aubrey so she was leaning back against the passenger door and she leaned down face to face with her. "You know exactly what I am talking about." He smirked. "I'll let you lick my lollipop anytime." Aubrey grinned as he brushed his lips against hers.

"And if your good, anytime might come sooner than you think." She whispered giving him a quick kiss and turning to open the passenger door.

"No you don't." Reid grabbed her wrist turning her around quickly and then crushing his lips to hers. Aubrey moaned as he pressed her back against the car, his hands burying themselves in her hair, her hands fisting into his green jacket tightly as she kissed back.

When they broke away Aubrey giggled around her heavy breathing. "I hate cutting this short, but I have to get to Nicky's." She told him softly.

Reid nodded kissing her again quickly. "Get in. I'll drop you off." Reid offered as he opened the passenger door.

AN: Ok so there's the next chapter, coming up is some Aubrey/Nicky interaction and I'm debating on some Valentine Romance! Also I don't know how many people read the reviews section, but I posted up a comment for Haley's question about a Val/Ty hook up, and unfortunately that is not happening. Val's a lesbian and devoted to her girlfriend. There's going to be a pick up of Jack later this evening, I have to be getting work though! Please please review!


	16. But I've Been Good

Chapter 15: But I've Been Good

"It's been years since I was here last." Aubrey said looking around the small diner. After Reid had dropped her at Nicky's, Nicky had driven them thirty minutes out of town, to a small dinner that could be considered a mom and pop restaurant. Her mother had taken her there as a little girl, but her father refused to set foot in the place. He said it wasn't proper for a family of their status. But on their 'girl days' Moreen would take her daughter and just go without Robert.

"Yeah, I took your mom here on our first date. It turned out to be a disaster but at the same time it was one of the best first dates I'd ever had." Nicky told her as the waitress handed them the menus.

Aubrey smiled. "What made it such a disaster?"

"I got nervous and fidgety, when I grabbed my napkin I didn't realize that the edge of your mother's glass was on it and the whole thing fell over, splattering her in strawberry milkshake. To make it worse, she was wearing a white cashmere sweater." Nicky explained with a smile of remembrance.

"Classic." Aubrey giggled.

"I had to get your mom a t-shirt from my car that she could wear the rest of the night." He added.

"Mom use to bring me here when I was little." Aubrey mentioned.

"You really miss her." Nicky asked rhetorically.

Aubrey looked at him and nodded. "Every day. I only ever felt like I belonged with her. My dad didn't really carry the father gene until he found out I was seeing Reid, then he became incredibly obsessed with my 'well being.' In actuality he just didn't want me with Reid."

"I can understand a parent being skeptical about Reid, but he's a decent guy."

Aubrey nodded. "The thing is my father resents the fact that my mother and I each fell in love with the same qualities. You and Reid are a lot alike and my father's held so much hate for my mother since her death because..." She paused.

"Because?" Nicky questioned with concern seeing the sudden distressed look in Aubrey's eyes. She sighed.

"Because my mother said your name in her last breath. He knew she'd always loved you because you were carefree and fun, qualities he himself could never posses and that irked him." Aubrey tried to explain the best way she knew how.

Nicky sighed. "Look I'd hate for your father to think I'm taking you away."

"He doesn't. This is my choice and he needs to get use to the fact that I am old enough to make my own choices, whether they turn in to huge mistakes or great successes, their mine and I am the one that'll live with them." Aubrey told him softly.

"You're a smart girl, just like your mom." Nicky smiled.

Aubrey smiled back. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. What she saw in me I'll never understand." Nicky mused.

A giggle escaped Aubrey's lips. "I'm sure the same thing I see in Reid. Adventure. It never gets boring being with a guy like Reid."

Nicky laughed. "True."

"So tell me something I don't know." Aubrey said as the waitress brought them two chocolate shakes, that Nicky had mentioned to the waitress while they settled in to their seats before.

"I took your mother to her first rock concert." Nicky stated.

Aubrey smirked. "Really? What band?"

"Well actually it was this little bar in Boston that would let small garage bands play all night on Saturday's. There was this band that did a Pat Benatar cover of Hit Me With Best Shot, and to my complete shock your mother new every word." Nicky chuckled.

"Yeah mom liked classic rock, well classic compared to my generation." Aubrey said the smile still on her lips.

"What music do you enjoy?" Nicky asked offhand.

Aubrey shrugged. "A little of everything. I like some rock, a little pop, hip-hop, R and B, it just depends what I'm in the mood for. Reid and I both enjoy Seether and Papa Roach, so when we're together that's generally what we listen to. And a little bit of Metallica and Rolling Stones for good measure."

"Eclectic." Nicky nodded. "Your mother use to sing this song called..."

"Hallelujah." Aubrey and Nicky said at the same time. Nicky looked at her and smiled genuinely.

"She had the most amazing voice."

Aubrey sighed. "Yeah."

"So..."

Aubrey grinned. "I love to read when I have the time. I can speak three languages not including English, I have an insane desire to become a novelist. And a twisted interest in criminology. I hate most dresses, and think I'm vertically challenged. My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost three years, technically off and on but not by choice. I am celebrating my eighteenth birthday on April 29th, and hope to be attending Brown in the fall of two thousand seven."

"Three languages?" Nicky questioned.

"Spanish, French and Italian." Aubrey said with an affirmative nod.

Nicky nodded his head in approval. "Your mother was a language major in college, I assume that's where you learned?"

"You assume correctly. When I was four she started teaching me. Mondays were dedicated to French, Wednesdays to Spanish and Friday's to Italian. And when I learned how to piece sentences together, every weekend me and mom would only speak in one language for the whole weekend. Unless of course I didn't understand something and we sit and discuss it."

"Did you like that?" Nicky questioned.

Aubrey gave a slight shrug with her left shoulder and looked down at her arms rested on the table neatly, a small smile of remembrance forming on her lips. "It might sound weird to some people, but yes I did. And it didn't really go to waste, I visited France when I was ten with my parents for a summer and some of the locals complimented me on my impeccable translations."

"You really are your mother's daughter. I can't really see any of myself in you." Nicky with a slight grin.

Aubrey looked up locking her brown eyes with his. "My mom use to say I was pigheaded like my father, but my dad was actually very passive when I was younger. I'm assuming she was talking about you."

"Probably, she called me pigheaded and stubborn on more than one occasion." Nicky noted.

"So what else is there to know about you? I know you own a bar."

"I like to rebuild old classics. I buy the shells out of some junkyard take them to my garage and spend anywhere from 2 to 3 years rebuilding them from the ground up basically. It's a hobby." Nicky told her.

"Reid has a restored sixty-nine Chevy camaro. So I know more than I'd like to about cars, he's obsessed with his new Porsche though." Aubrey said conversationally.

"Yeah I saw that Camaro of his parked out front of the bar one night, didn't know it was his though."

Aubrey giggled. "He named it Candice...Candy for short. He's still debating on his Porsche's name though. Is that like a guy thing? Naming cars?"

"Well all my cars had names, so maybe it's safe to say yes." Nicky chuckled.

"Guys are so strange." The waitress came over and took their order and then left for the kitchen again. Nicky and Aubrey continued talking long into the evening. Even after they finished eating they didn't leave the diner till well after nine. Since Reid had dropped her off Aubrey needed a lift home when they stepped outside the diner to leave Aubrey pulled out her sidekick.

"Well this was nice, we should do it again." Nicky said nonchalantly.

Aubrey smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah. I had a good time. I should call Reid though, he dropped me here."

"I can take you home." Nicky offered. "You still live in that house down Pine road?"

"Actually I'm staying at the dorms with my friend Val, you met her. I'm actually going to be moving in to the dorms tomorrow though." Aubrey explained.

Nicky sighed. "Aubrey you can't just change your life because of this."

"It's not this, not really. My father finally blew it. And to be honest I can't stand the sight of him right now. I've been staying at Reid's but that just wont work, so Val offered me the other side of her dorm." Aubrey said.

"I don't know whether to be concerned that your feuding with Robert or staying with Reid." Nicky said jokingly to lighten the mood a bit.

Aubrey giggled somewhat. "You shouldn't be concerned about either. Dad will, I hope come around to my terms in time and Reid is nothing but a gentlemen. So you shouldn't worry."

"You'd be surprised how natural worrying about you comes to me." Nicky said kicking at the gravel under his boots. "And back when we first talked and you said no one has to know, when I spoke up after that I wasn't agreeing about that. I-I don't want you to think I'm trying to hide this because I'm ashamed, I'm just really sorry I didn't stop your mother from marrying Robert and helping raise you myself. I'm ashamed of myself not you."

"Don't be. I understand why you didn't. You were doing what was best for me at the time, but now this is best for me. Getting to know you and more about my mom is what's best for me."

"Well it's up to you, if you want people to know I won't stop you from telling. But I'd hate for people to judge you because your real father happens to be a poor bartender." Nicky said.

Aubrey took a chance stepping forward and putting her arms around Nicky in a hug. She felt him stiffen before his arms moved around her. "I don't care if people judge me, I just need to feel like I belong again." She told him. After a moment she pulled away his arms dropping from around her and Aubrey took a step back. "Sorry." She apologized.

Nicky smiled at her. "Don't be, I haven't been hugged like that since your mother all those years ago. I generally don't let people close enough to me anymore, I keep to myself. But I think having you around is going to make my life a little brighter." Aubrey smiled. "Come on let's get you home." Nicky said gesturing to his pick up truck. They got in and drove away from the diner.

Next Day:

Town:

Aubrey was telling Reid all about her dinner with Nicky as they walked the bridge over the river. It was rightly named Riverwalk. (AN: website on my page, check it out) They stopped and And Aubrey leaned on the railing as Reid wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "So it sounds like you had a good time." Reid deduced.

"Yeah." Aubrey replied lightly watching the rivers ever flowing water beneath them. "At least I have one dad that likes you."

Reid chuckled. "I guess that's a bonus." He said giving her a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. "So Valentines day is coming up."

"Yeah." Aubrey nodded in agreement.

"Well?" Reid asked.

Aubrey glanced over her shoulder at him. "Well what?" She questioned him a confused look on her face.

"Well, what do you want?" Reid asked.

Aubrey sighed rolling her eyes and turned her head back towards the water. "I want a cheesy card, with a cheesy poem inside and a single cheesy cliché red rose." Aubrey finished with a giggle.

"I think I can manage a cheesy card, but you're pushing it with the poem and rose." Reid teased her. "How about a new tattoo?"

"That would be more for you than it would for me." Aubrey pointed out playfully her arms crossing over her own on her waist.

Reid kissed the side of her neck lightly, the part that could be seen anyway. She wore a black

zip up hoodie doubled with a simple jean jacket. Her plain white t-shirt and simplistic old distressed jeans and black boots completed the outfit. Her hair was loose in braid over her right shoulder. And Reid wore similar clothing, except his hoodie was a poll over and he wore baggy cargo pants instead of jeans. His usual black beanie and fingerless gloves in place.

"Well I'll get one of your choice, and you get one of mine." Reid bargained.

Aubrey giggled. "That's a disaster waiting to happen."

"What? Why?" Reid asked.

"Reid you'll want your name or something memorable of yourself put on my body, and while I love you so much, I'm a firm believer once a girl gets a tattoo like that, the relationship doesn't last and their stuck with this giant reminder." Aubrey explained lightly.

Placing a kiss just below the lobe of her ear Aubrey could tell Reid was thinking. "I guess it's a good thing I'm superstitious about that too."

"Really?" Aubrey asked.

"Heard a few stories, from some guys at Nicky's." Reid told her. "So you in?"

"I guess." Aubrey sighed dramatically and then giggled. "As long as you're paying."

"Of course I'm paying. Can't let my girl buy her Valentines present." Reid murmured next to her ear. "Love you."

Aubrey turned in his arms moving hers around his neck. "Love you too." Reid readjusted his arms lower on her waist, tightened his grip and lifted her up so that their lips met.

"Are they always this sappy?" Aubrey and Reid broke their kiss after hearing a clicking effect and looked over to see Tyler, with none other than Jack. She was holding a camera, lowered but it was clear that she'd been aiming it at them previously.

Tyler laughed walking with his hands in his coat pocket, Jack's arm loop through his, her other hand holding tight to her camera, the strap wound around her wrist for security. "Not all the time, but sometimes." He told her.

"Hey private moment here." Reid said gesturing between him and Aubrey as he set her down.

"Public place." Jack reminded him with a smile.

Aubrey giggled. "That's so something Reid would say if he caught one of the other couples."

"Hey yeah, no stealing my lines." Reid reprimanded Jack jokingly. She laughed leaning her temple against Tyler's arm.

Reid had since moved one arm to his side, the other remaining firmly locked around Aubrey's waist while she cuddled into his side. Aubrey smacked him lightly in the chest. "Be nice." She chastised teasingly. "What brings you two out here?"

"The view. Jack wanted to get some pictures in, before the snow disappeared. So I've been taking her around to some of the better scenic areas. Apparently Ipswich is very charming." Tyler explained, only teasing Jack at the end.

Jack looked up at him her eyes playfully annoyed. "I already told you, small towns have the best character." She retorted smiling.

"Character...right..." Reid drawled.

"Reid, behave." Aubrey said shaking her head.

"What?" He chuckled. Aubrey looked up at him and smirked. "Ok, I'll behave." He murmured bending his head and giving her a kiss.

"That's twice." Jack said with a laugh.

Aubrey looked over at Jack and Tyler. "Tyler why don't you go show her the cliffs?"

Tyler smirked at his friends. "Good idea, I already did."

"Ok, how about to the ruins of old Putnam barn." Reid bit out looking intently at Tyler.

Tyler huffed. "Fine. If you want to be alone that's all you had to say."

"We want to be alone." Reid said with that smirk of his.

Tyler rolled his eyes and looked down at Jack. "You want to see the ruins of Putnam Barn?"

"What's that?" Jack asked sweetly.

"Putnam barn was one of the oldest standing remains from when the town was first built. I say was because it burned down the night of Fall fest after school started."

"Oh, yeah sure." Jack said a smile lighting her face.

Tyler started walking and Jack walked right by his side, her arm linked through his still. "Have fun. Don't do anything Reid would." Aubrey said as they passed.

"See you later." Jack smiled back at her. And then Reid started taking Aubrey in the opposite direction.

"Where are you taking me?" Aubrey giggled as he dragged her along.

"Right here." He stopped, turned to face her and held her at arms length. "Where are we?"

Aubrey glanced around, they were standing under one of the small covers, that had a bench to one side the railing to the other looking out of the flowing river. A smile broke out on her soft pink lips and her eyes wandered up to meet his. His icy blue gaze full of warmth and love. "This is the spot..."

"The _exact_ spot." Reid uttered.

Aubrey grinned. "The exact spot where you mumbled something about liking me and asked me to be your girlfriend, for the first time."

_Flash back:_

_"It's almost summer why is it raining." Aubrey complained as they ran under the small shelter. Reid looked at her, she was drenched from head to toe from the sudden heavy down poor. _

_"This is Ipswich." Reid told her with a grin like it was supposed to explain everything. He slipped his damp jean jacket off and pulled his dark gray hoodie over his head and offered it to her. _

_Aubrey smiled at him sweetly as she accepted it and slipped it on over her now drenched purple t-shirt. She'd dressed for warmer weather and ended up getting rain. Her hair was dripping, rain drops slipping down her beautiful face and Reid took a deep breath. _

_The words didn't come out as loud as he'd intended. "What?" Aubrey asked looking at him a bit confused._

_Reid sighed and stuff his hands in his jeans pockets. "I've wanted to ask you something since we got back from Boston."_

_"Yeah?" Aubrey questioned._

_"Will you..." He muttered something under his breath._

_"Sorry didn't catch that. Will I what?" Aubrey asked._

_Reid huffed and looked up at her determination set in his eyes. "Will you be my girlfriend?"_

_Aubrey was speechless. She'd never thought she'd consider Reid Garwin boyfriend material. Especially after he'd mocked her about being a teacher's pet, but she couldn't deny she'd fallen for him. Hard. "I'd love to be your girlfriend." Aubrey smiled._

_A child like grin spread on his face as Reid advanced capturing her face in his hands and moved his head down swiftly to press his lips to hers. _

_End Flash Back_

"You know I love you." Reid murmured close to her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Aubrey smiled. "And standing in your arms reminds me that I love you."

"Come on let's go see a movie." Reid said kissing her softly. Aubrey agreed and they headed off back to Reid's car to go to the theater.

February 8th:

Cafeteria:

"So, we were thinking we should all get dressed up and go out to dinner on Valentines." Kate informed the group.

"Who thought of that?" Reid snorted. Sarah and Kate glared over at him and he smirked. "Girls." He said sarcastically.

Aubrey giggled. "Well I don't like dressing up, but once and a while it's ok." She said lightly. "Besides I don't know what Reid has planned, ask him."

"Me, I thought you were planning Valentines day." Reid said looking over at her seriously. Aubrey gave him the 'you moron' eye roll and then looked over at Sarah.

"Why am I dating him again?" She asked jabbing her thumb in Reid's direction.

Sarah shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Hey! I'm offended by that." Reid said looking hurt.

The three girls giggled and then Sarah set her sights on Tyler. "So Ty, how many times have you seen Jack?" She asked.

"A few." Tyler told her nonchalantly.

"A few? Try like seven in a nine day span." Kate teased.

"She going to be your Valentine?" Val asked walking over and sitting down with the group, having heard the majority of their conversation already.

Tyler shrugged a small blush creeping on to his cheeks. "Don't know."

"You should invite her to dinner." Kate said with a smile. "It'll give the rest of us a real chance to meet her."

"I brought her to Nicky's." Tyler said.

"Yeah for like two seconds dude." Pogue smirked.

"I can understand why you keep her to yourself bro, she's hot and she models." Reid said approvingly. Aubrey looked over at him. Reid smirked at her. "Don't get your panties in a twist, she isn't my type."

Aubrey smirked smugly. "I remember when you told me female was your type."

"Things change." Reid winked at her.

"So dinner?" Sarah asked.

Everyone grumbled an agreement.

Day Before Valentines:

Aubrey stood from her desk and walked over to answer the door of her and Val's dorm room. When the door pulled back she saw the smiling face of her boyfriend. "Well to what do I owe this visit?" She asked sweetly letting him pass into her room before shutting the door.

Reid sat down at the end of her bed. "You doing anything right now?"

"Not really. I was just rewriting a paper that's due on Monday. Why?" Aubrey asked leaning back against her desk, arms folded over her chest looking at her boyfriend.

Reid stood and stepped up to her. "I was thinking we could go get those tattoo's today." He explained.

"Ok." Aubrey smiled. "I think you're going to like what Val helped me come up with." She turned opening the top drawer to her desk and pulled out a slip of paper, she turned and handed it to Reid.

Reid looked down and his eyes about bugged out of his head. "You want me to get this?" He asked of the almost naked female drawn on the paper.

Aubrey smirked and nodded. "Yep. You've been wanting a hot chick piece for a while. So you like it?"

"Like it, I love it. I wouldn't have been able to come up with something like this in a million years." Reid leaned down and kissed her lips. "Every time I look at it I'll think of you." He smirked looking her up and down in her bleach wash skinny jeans and black t-shirt with white lettering that read 'Keep my hands to yourself'. "Love the shirt too Sweets."

Aubrey looked down and saw what shirt she was wearing. "It's Val's." She told him. She looked down at her black with white polka dot ballet flats and a small blush creeped on to her cheeks at his obvious lustful leering.

"So, my parents are going to Italy for Valentines weekend." Reid told her with a smirk. Aubrey looked up at him confused.

"Oh yeah?" She asked a little bewildered by the statement.

Reid nodded. "Yeah and I was thinking after dinner tomorrow night, we could go back to my place." He said wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Relentless." Aubrey teased.

"I've been a very good boy though." Reid said leaning down next to her ear, the picture in his hand set on her desk behind her, his hands gripping the edge of the desk for support.

Aubrey arms came up slowly and rested around his neck. "I guess I can't deny that." She said softly. Reid nuzzled his face into her neck and kissed the bend where here neck connected to her shoulder. Without warning Reid grabbed her waist and left her up on to the desk pulling back from her neck and connecting his lips with hers hungrily.

Being use to his spontaneous acts of lust Aubrey responded without hesitation. She parted her legs so Reid could move in and stand closer to her, while his hands traveled up the back of her shirt. Aubrey's hands moved down his chest fisting into his black hoodie. Delighted moans escaped at random intervals. Reid broke away lightly, Aubrey whimpered at the loss. "Just a small taste for tomorrow." He grinned. "Come on Sweets, let's go get those tattoos." He smacked the side of her thigh lightly before helping her off the desk.

Aubrey grabbed her black hoodie from the back of her desk chair, slipped it on and then grabbed her jean jacket from the end of her bed and through that on over her hoodie. "Ok I'm ready." She took his hand and Reid led her out of the dorm.

AN: Ok so short, yes I know. But I promise more to come, hopefully by Sunday evening, but no promises. And Pics of the tats will be up on my page after next chapter. Let me know what you think! Please review! I love hearing from readers it does really help with my thought process to make the story better!


	17. Ready, Set, Go

Chapter 16: Ready, Set, Go

Valentines:

"That tattoo kicks ass." Val told Aubrey as she faced the mirror in the bathroom of their dorm. Aubrey was standing in a strapless, funky print ankle length dress. Her feet adorned in simple pair of heels. She was putting her earrings in, the ones that matched her dragonfly necklace that she wore. Her hair was loose, but pulled over her right shoulder keeping her left clear since her new tattoo was placed diagonal on her shoulder. The orange hibiscus flowers were on her shoulder blade while the line design slanted towards the lower right side of her back/hip. If she was so inclined to do so, she could connect the tattoos she had so that she'd have a wind of tattoos from her right hip up across her back to her left shoulder, the new tattoo coming up over the shoulder but only slightly peeking over.

"Thanks, I really liked it when Reid finally showed me." Aubrey told her with a smile.

Val grinned. "And what did he think of his?"

"Loves it."

"Good."

"You know Val I don't feel right leaving you here by yourself on Valentines." Aubrey said turning around, her earrings now in place.

Val smiled at her. "Thanks for the invite, but I'm going to call Kat."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I've still got till April before she comes to visit." Val said her smile not wavering. "I just want to talk to her."

Aubrey sighed and smiled at her friend. "Ok. But you know where we're going, and my spare keys are in my desk drawer if you want to come. The address is on the desk you can just punch it in to my navigation system if you want."

Val grinned at her. "Aubs go. Have fun! Spoil Reid for a night."

"He doesn't need to be anymore spoiled than he already is. He knows just how to make me cave." Aubrey said jokingly as she walked out of the bathroom. The slit up her her long dress showing of her smooth bare legs, accentuated by the heels on her feet. Aubrey grabbed her white trench coat off the end of her bed and slipped it on just as a knock came at the dorm door. "So how do I look?" Aubrey asked wincing slightly when the seam of her jacket scrapped lightly over her tattoo. She was going to have to be very careful this evening.

Val walked over and plopped down on her bed. "Fabulous." She said grabbing one of her car magazines as Aubrey answered the door.

Reid stood there and he held out a pink envelope to her Aubrey grinned at him opening the envelope and pulled out the car. The front read 'Every time I look in to your eyes...I see in them...a strange pull...something that drives me crazy with desire.' Then she opened the inside which read 'Waiting to drink in that madness...waiting to get drunk by You. Happy Valentines Love Reid.'

Aubrey giggled and closed the card and grinned at him. "It's so perfectly cheesy thank you." She said leaning up a little and kissing him.

"No poem, but..." He pulled a rose out from behind his back and handed it to her. "A cheesy rose."

"You sprung for a cheesy rose, oh you are too much." Aubrey kissed him again. When they broke away they started laughing. Aubrey looked back in the room at Val. "Tell Kat I said hi. I'll see you tomorrow sometime."

"I will. Night. Have fun you guys." Val smiled.

Reid waved at her. "Later Val." Aubrey shut the door after setting her card in on the desk. Reid took her hand while she smelled the stunning red rose. "You look gorgeous by the way." Reid told her sweetly.

Aubrey chuckled softly. "You can hear me coming from a mile away with these." She gestured to her heels.

"But their sexy as hell." Reid grinned leaning down and kissing her as they continued to walk.

Aubrey smiled as he pulled back. Reid was wearing a very casual but classy outfit, from his black slacks, to his black button up shirt, he looked decent. The top three buttons of the shirt were left undone and the coat he had on was dark gray and a military style jacket, but it was chic. To top the ensemble off he wore his black steel toed boots. Reid liked his pants long so that they'd cover the top of his shoes and he could get away with wearing his boots.

"You look pretty handsome yourself." Aubrey told him as they reached the double doors out of the dormitory building. They stepped out in to the cool night air.

"Well thank you." Reid said trying to act rugged. Aubrey just giggled.

"Happy Valentines Day." She told him.

"Happy Valentines Sweets. So how's the tattoo?" Reid questioned as they reached his Porsche. He hit the keyfab button unlocking the car and disarming the alarm at the same time. He reached forward and pulled the door open for Aubrey.

"Fine, still stings a bit when stuff runs over it, but good. You?" She asked sweetly. Reid shut her door and walked around to his side. He climbed in and answered after they were starting to pull away from the dorms.

"I'm tough." He said looking at her his smirk in place.

Aubrey smiled at him. "I wonder how your coach is going to react." She giggled.

"It's unlikely he'll notice, with his bad eye sight he wont be able to even tell there's a nipple." Reid grinned.

"I hope you're right." Aubrey told him shaking her head playfully. Her fingers began to fidget in her lap, since Reid wasn't holding her hand, having to shift gears, her hands weren't use to being idle and just sitting in her lap in the car.

"Here." Reid lifted his hand and Aubrey glanced over. She looked up at him confused. "Set your hand on the gearshift." He instructed. Aubrey let her left hand rest on the gearshift and Reid placed his atop her slipping his fingers between hers and cupping their joined hands around the gearshift. "Better?" Aubrey smiled sweetly and nodded.

"So where exactly is this place?"

"To be honest I've never been, but it's in Boston and Mrs. Danvers got the reservation for Caleb. It's supposed to be really fancy."

"Oh." Aubrey said.

Reid's fingers flexed over hers slightly, before he shifted into a different gear as the car sped up. Aubrey reached toward the stereo system with her right hand and turned it on. The cd Reid had previously been listening to began playing.

"Fall Out Boy?" Aubrey questioned smirking at him sweetly.

Reid shrugged. "It's Ty's."

"Uh huh, sure it is." Aubrey mocked. Reid looked a little uncomfortable at the accusation. "Reid?" She'd never seen him act this way.

"Ok it's Jack's." Reid admitted.

Aubrey looked a bit shocked. "What?"

"Jack called Ty night before last and I answered his cell since he was at the showers. She was trying to back out on dinner by claiming she didn't have anything to wear that was that nice and that she didn't have time to go shopping or a car. I was going to see if you wanted to come along, but you were with Val, Sarah and Kate already. So I got her address and drove out to Boston." Reid told her.

Still confused Aubrey reached forward and turned the music down. "And?"

"When I pulled up to the address I thought maybe I'd put it in wrong on my navigation system, but I doubled checked and it said it was right. So I went up to the front door and Jack answered. There were a few younger kids hanging off her and she looked really surprised to see me. She looked like she was going to hyperventilate or some shit."

_Flash back:_

_"Reid what are you doing here?" Jack asked shock written all over her face, panic in her eyes and her chest rising and fall frequently._

_"Jack come on, let's go play." A little girl with dark brown hair and Latin toned skin said tugging on Jack's shirt._

_Jack looked down at her and then back at Reid. Her eyes drifted back to the little girl and Reid could hear the other's inside the small two story worn down building. It was the same all the way down the street, the brick home's varied in height, but they were all tattered and worn down. Reid looked back at his car which seemed so out of place amongst the beaten down vehicles parked along the street. He looked back at Jack who'd detached the little girls fingers from her shirt and pushed her further in to the house. "Selene go ask Grace to play with you." The little girl pouted before storming off in to the house. _

_Stepping out in to the cool air, Jack shut the door behind her crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here?" She asked._

_Reid really wasn't sure what to say. "I came to take you dress shopping. Ty really wants you there Saturday night." He said dumbly._

_Jack sighed and bit her lip. "Look, the truth is I can't afford a dress Reid."_

_"Care to explain it to me?" Reid asked._

_Jack took a seat on the cold dry steps and Reid sat down beside her. "I'm adopted, I live here with four other kids two of which are adopted like me." She said sullenly._

_"Does Tyler know?" Reid asked._

_Jack swallowed hard shaking her head. Her eyes lifted to meet his and she sighed. "No, I was afraid if I told him he wouldn't like me anymore."_

_"Why?" Reid asked._

_Jack scoffed and stood making her way down the steps and then turning to face him. "Because I live here, this place is the size of his garage, Reid. I'm not rich..."_

_"You never said you were, you didn't lie unless that stuff about you on your page was a lie." Reid commented logically._

_Jack shook her head. "None of that was a lie. I do model occasionally to make some money to help out Grace. She's my adopted mother. Jonathan died two years ago, so she has to work two jobs now just to pay rent alone." She sighed again. "I play sports in school, because their my best shot at getting a scholarship to a university, so I can graduate and get a good job and help out more than I already am. I owe Grace and Jonathan a lot." She said small tears building in her eyes._

_Reid stood and walked down the steps towards her. "You should tell him."_

_"Who am I kidding? I can't hide this from him forever and I'm no where near good enough for him. I don't know what I was thinking, when I first accepted the date I didn't know he was rich. Then I got to know him and WAM he's rich, I thought I could just break it off with him but I really like him and..."_

_"Whoa, whoa hold up." Reid put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her from rambling and stopping her from pacing. "Out of all four of us I think Baby Boy is the least shallow. He doesn't flaunt the fact that his parents have money, so why would it bother him that you don't?"_

_"Because I'm not even on the same level as him, he's so smart and kind and I don't deserve him because I've kept my life a secret from him." Jack said sadly._

_Reid sighed. "So everyone has secrets. Baby boy will understand, you just have to give him the chance. Go out with us for Valentines let him have his first Valentines date and then spend the evening and tell him the truth."_

_"I can't go Reid. He told me what restaurant and I can't even afford to use the restroom there let alone, eat there or buy a dress for that place." Jack said sighing once again._

_Reid looked and her and grinned. "So I'll take you shopping."_

_"No Reid that wouldn't be cool of me, just accepting your money like that." Jack said softly._

_"Look you can either come with me or I can go by myself and bring you back a dress. Size 5 right?" Reid asked grinning at her._

_Jack eyed him suspiciously. "How'd you..."_

_"Aubrey's about the same size you are."_

_"Reid I wouldn't feel right just letting you buy me a dress. Most dresses fancy enough for that restaurant are highly priced and I just couldn't pay you back." _

_"Look, as long as you come clean to Tyler and keep him happy that's pay back enough for me. Baby boy really likes you, he's opening up to you and he never does that with girls, he's extremely shy if you haven't noticed. He's like my brother and all I want is to see him happy and you obviously make him happy." _

_"Reid..." Jack said lightly._

_Reid smirked at her. "Ok looks like I am going shopping solo." He walked around to the driver's side of his car._

_"Wait." Jack called softly. Reid looked over his shoulder at her. "Let me get my bag and let Grace know where I'm going."_

_"I'll wait here." Reid told her and leaned back against the car door of his Porsche. When Jack came back out she was holding her flannel clutch and had a gray hoodie on over her plain white tee and jeans. "Hop in." He said unlocking the car. Jack walked around to the passenger side door and pulled it open. _

_"Mind if I put in a cd?" Jack asked._

_Reid shrugged. "Whatever." She slipped in a cd out of her pocket and when the music came on Reid nodded his head in approval. "So what store would you like to check out?"_

_"Um...well...there was this gorgeous dress at Nordstroms, but it was like way expensive..."_

_"Imagine that there's no limit, if you want to check out that store we will." Reid told her. "And don't argue, Aubrey's found that I usually get my way."_

_Jack looked over at him and gave a small smile. "Thank you, Reid."_

_Reid nodded. "So can I ask why you're adopted."_

_"My real parents died in a car accident when I was seven. Grace and Jonathan knew my parents, since Jonathan and my dad worked together. I had no other relatives so they offered to adopt me. After a few years Jonathan got fired from his job so he ended up working as a low wage mechanic, which had us moving out of the comfy lifestyle and well...you get it. Mikaela and Declan are Grace and Jonathan's actual children and Selene and Brody were adopted right before I was. They're twins and Jonathan and Grace fell in love with them a day after they were born, the nurse told them they were going to be in a foster home because the father wasn't in the picture and the mother wasn't fit to take them._

_There's a really long complicated story, but the short version is Grace convinced the mother to give up her rights to the twins and since their was no father and the real mother didn't even know who the father was they got to adopt them. And then I came along and made it five kids. Mikaela is fifteen, Declan's fourteen, Selene and Brody are ten now soon to be eleven."_

_"Wow." Reid said not really knowing what else to say._

_"Yeah. Selene and Brody are both so hyper, Grace can barely handle the two girls alone."_

_"Wait Brody's a girl?" Reid questioned._

_Jack nodded. "Grace and Jonathan got to name them, after the adoption was official. Grace had always loved boys names for girls, but she also thought it would be fair to name one after Jonathan's mother."_

_"That isn't complicated at all." Reid said jokingly sarcastic._

_Jack laughed. "Yeah I know. Mik and Dec were four and three when Selene and Brody were adopted and five and four when I was, so I've always been the oldest."_

_Reid nodded understandingly. They drove the rest of the way in relative silence until they got to the mall._

_End Flash Back_

Aubrey looked over at him and smiled. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Cause she asked me not to say anything till she got a chance to tell Ty. So you don't know anything." Reid said looking at her.

"How could I not, you're my sexy bad ass, softy at heart boyfriend." She said playfully.

Reid looked over at her and smirked. "I'm not all soft you know." He said suggestively.

Aubrey reached over with her right hand and smacked his upper arm. "Reid come on we are having a serious conversation get your mind out of the gutter."

"Ok fine, but I'm serious Aubrey you can't let on that you know. Jack's going to tell Baby boy after dinner tonight." Reid told her seriously.

Aubrey smiled. "My lips are sealed."

"Can they be reopened cause there's a place I'd like them to be." Reid said again suggestively.

"Reid!" Aubrey shrieked smacking his forearm this time. He winced.

"Ow that was my freshly inked arm babe!" Reid scowled.

Aubrey grinned. "Good. No more sexual innuendo's." They pulled up outside the restaurant five minutes later and Reid got out of the car as two valet's opened the doors. Aubrey climbed out as Reid came around trusting his baby with the valet's.

Once inside they saw the other's standing just inside waiting for them to be seated. Sarah's dress was a very suiting shade a pink on her, it was long and she looked to have light pink heels on as well, her hair pulled back in a unique twist. Kate wore a stunning blue silk spaghetti strap dress, that hung long to the floor as well. The golden design elegantly placed over the fabric made it dance on her skin. And Jack was dress in a beautiful natural tone dress with elegant beading, that was cut just belong the knee one side hanging at a longer angle, her feet were adorned in peep toe heels as well. Her hair was done in a cool braid hanging down to the middle of her back.

"Well ladies don't you all just look divine." Reid said smoothly.

Aubrey grinned at him shaking her head. Jack looked at him and offered a smile that Aubrey caught as Jack's hand tightened around Tyler's. Reid grinned back and winked at her when Tyler turned to speak to Caleb. "Well Reid you look half way decent." Sarah remarked smiling.

"I know I look fine." Reid said cockily.

Aubrey giggled softly. "He's so full of himself."

"That's Reid." Kate, Sarah, Pogue, Tyler and Caleb all said their attention now on that particular conversation.

Reid smirked and put his arm around Aubrey's waist protectively. The girls were getting looks from some of the waiters and Reid noticed Pogue giving them dirty glares occasionally. "La Mlle peut I prendre votre manteau?" (_Miss may I take your coat?_)

Aubrey smiled at the young gentlemen. "Vous pouvez certainement." (_You certainly may._)

"Vous parlez Francais?" (_You speak French?_) The young man asked, he couldn't have been much older than nineteen, probably only keep a steady job to afford college life.

"Oui." (_Yes._) Aubrey replied with a nod and another small smile. She slipped her coat off and e took I from her. "Ma Mere m'a enseigne." (_My mother taught me._)

The young man smiled warmly. "Bien c'est une belle qualite dans une belle dame." (_Well it's a lovely quality in a lovely lady._) He said. Aubrey couldn't help thinking he was a real charmer and probably got along well with the ladies, his accent was mastered not natural so she knew he was American.

"C'est tres flatteusement, merci." (_That's flattering, thank you._) Aubrey said kindly.

Reid started to give the waiter a look that said 'my girl, back off' Aubrey could feel his hand clenching on her waist and knew he was getting just a tad jealous of the young man speaking to her in a language she found rather charming, but very rarely got a chance to speak.

Seeing the look Reid was giving him, Aubrey noticed the young man grow a bit nervous and he started looking at the floor. "Le puit apprecient votre Mlle de soiree." (_Well enjoy your evening Miss._) The young man stated looking up at her once again.

Before he could scurry off without a reply Aubrey smiled sweetly. "Et vous." (_And you._) She told him. He nodded his head and walked off to put her coat away. Aubrey looked over at Reid and eyed his raised brow. "What?" She asked. The other's were looking at them rather interested in the exchange.

"Si je ne savais aucun meilleur je dirais qu'il flirtait avec toi." (_If I didn't know any better I'd say he was flirting with you._) Reid said.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "No he wasn't...wait, did you just speak French?" She asked a bit stunned.

"Est-ce que c'est si choquant?" (_Is that so shocking?_) Reid questioned smirking at her.

Aubrey thought about this for a moment before replying. "Jaillissent mon ami parle Francais, que je n'ou pas connu jusqu'a maintenant, tellement oui il est peu un choquant." (_Well my boyfriend speaks French, which I did not know till now, so yes it is a little shocking._)

"Bon choquer? Ou mauvais choquer, Sweets?" (_Good shocking? Or bad shocking, Sweets?_) Reid asked.

"Bien ce n'est certainement pas un tour au loin si est ce ce que vous demandez." (_Well it's definitely not a turn off if that's what you're asking._) Aubrey smirked up at him. Reid grinned bending his head and kissing her swiftly.

Pogue cleared his throat. "Vous realisez, au moins quatre de nous pouvez vous comprendre deux?" (_You do realize, at least four of us can understand you two?_)

"Cinq." (_Five._) Jack put in with a smile. "And that guy was totally flirting with you."

"See? Thank you." Reid said.

"Are you ready to be seated?" The hostess came over holding the menus in her hands.

Caleb nodded with a smile. "Yes please."

"Right this way." She lead the way.

"So who can't speak French?" Jack asked.

Kate raised her hand a little, as they took their seats. Pogue was across from Kate, Sarah across from Caleb, Jack across from Tyler and Aubrey across from Reid, bu they sat boy, girl, boy, girl so it wasn't boys on one side girls on the other. "I took Spanish. I spent my summers in Spain with my folks when I was younger and just fell in love with the language. Have you ever been?" Kate asked Jack.

The smaller girl bit her lip and shook her head. "No." She said quietly.

"It's actually quite beautiful." Tyler pipped in. Reid looked across the table and saw Jack looked sullen.

"Eh it's not that great." Reid said trying to cheer her up.

Aubrey got what he was trying to do and smiled at Jack sweetly. "Do you speak fluent French?"

"Yes. I've been in French class every year since ninth grade. And I joined French club." Jack informed her with a small smile.

"They actually had French Club?" Tyler asked interested.

Jack nodded. "Yeah."

Tyler smiled at her. The waiter came over and greeted them. "Bonjour, may I start you off with something to drink?" He asked politely.

They all order a variety of soda's since they weren't old enough to order from the wine menu. When the waiter left conversation changed and Aubrey could see the relief on Jack's face. After the waiter returned with their drinks he took their order and then disappeared once again. While they were waiting on their food Reid looked over at Tyler and smirked. 'Watch this.' He mouthed. He stood from his seat and stepped next to Aubrey holding out his hand.

"Would you dance with me?" He asked gesturing his head towards the small crowd of swaying people, in front of the small instrumental band.

Aubrey smiled and placed her hand in his setting her napkin on the table with the other. Pushing her seat back she stood and allowed Reid to escort her out to the dancing area. His hold was perfect. One hand lightly on her waist, his other clasped in hers held out to the side a little. Her other hand resting on his bicep. "Wow, he knows how to dance." Aubrey giggled softly as he began slowly swaying them around.

Reid grinned at her. "My parents insisted I take a basic dance class, with the guys. Ty's the only one who never really took to it. He's really a fish out of water on the dance floor. I know he wants to ask Jack to dance but he's a bit worried, so I asked you first."

Aubrey felt him kiss her cheek. Kate and Pogue were next out on the floor. "Hey you think he'll ask if they're left by themselves." Pogue murmured to Reid as he and Kate dance slowly next to their friends.

Reid shrugged. "I hope so man."

"What are you two going on about?" Kate asked. Pogue danced her in a different direction and they began silently talking together. Not surprising, Sarah came over with Caleb and they started to dance as well. Reid looked over at the table, Aubrey followed his gaze and she saw Jack looking across the table smiling nervously at Tyler before Tyler stood and gestured towards the dancing couples. Jack motioned to the girls things and without looking defeated Tyler asked a waiter to stand by their table. He graciously nodded and Jack stood accepting Tyler's hand and followed him to the dance area.

"...not very good." Aubrey and Reid heard the tail end of Tyler's sentence.

Jack giggled. "That's ok, we'll be not very good together. Cause I can grind with the best of them in a club, but I can't slow dance to save my life." They heard her say. Reid looked at Aubrey and grinned.

Aubrey smiled back and rested her forehead lightly against his shoulder. When the slow melody ended the couples made their way back to their seats, just as their food was coming out of the kitchen.

"I don't know." Jack said looking at the plate a little less then enthusiastically.

Tyler smiled. "I promise it's not as bad tasting as it looks, just try it." Jack having never had real French cuisine had let Tyler make her order for her and hoped he knew her enough to know her likes and dislikes. "Coq au Vin is actually one of my favorite French meals."

Jack cut a small portion of the meat off and stabbed it gently with her fork. She brought it up towards her mouth and then glanced to either side, everyone was watching her with interest and it unnerved her. "What?" She asked giggling. "I'm not going to be childish and spit in to my napkin."

Everyone laughed looking away and she took a bit. It wasn't bad, Tyler had made a great choice for her. They ate in relative silence and after their meal ordered dessert.

Reid's Place:

"That was fun." Aubrey said as she walked in the front door of the Garwin home. They'd since left the restaurant in Boston, Jack and Tyler had headed to a small coffee shop just down from the elegant French restaurant, while Pogue had opted to take Kate for a romantic night at a rather expensive hotel in Boston. Sarah and Caleb had headed back in to Ipswich, to a small bed and breakfast, while Reid had driven straight to his house without stopping in hopes of getting a little something from his beautiful girlfriend.

Aubrey of course knew what he wanted, but she thought she'd prolong it as long as possible by keeping a conversation going, just to tease him a little. Though it wasn't like the night wasn't spent teasing each other anyway. Reid had insisted on playing footsie under the table at the restaurant, and when Aubrey had excused herself to the restroom, he'd done the same and waited for her to come out of the bathroom, so he could trap her in the corner of the hallway and kiss her senseless.

"Yeah sure." Reid said as they headed quickly down the stairs to his basement apartment. Aubrey grabbed the door handle and gave a quick turn pushing it open, the moment she was in the apartment though she heard the door slam shut and was turned abruptly around only to have Reid's lips crush against hers in a deep bruising kiss. He walked into her forcing her back towards the hallway as his hands moved from her face down to remove her coat.

A soft groan escaped Aubrey's sweet mouth as Reid pressed her back against his bedroom door. Her new tattoo coming in to contact with the cool glass on his double doors felt really nice, her coat hanging down from her shoulders. Reid grabbed the door handle and gave it a tug, pushing the door open. Aubrey stumbled back, grasping at Reid's jacket with a soft giggle as their lips parted.

Hands falling to her sides, Aubrey's coat fell off and she brought her hands back up to either side of Reid's neck as they moved back towards his bed. Reid's coat was the next thing to hit the floor, his lips pressing against hers once again. As the mattress tapped the back of her legs Aubrey's fingers worked furiously on the buttons of Reid's shirt, while his hands moved under her long dress, using the slit in the fabric as his opening.

His hands cupped her ass squeezing, eliciting a moan from his girlfriend as she pressed herself closer to him. Reid smirked breaking the kiss and trailing his perfect lips down the side of her neck. Aubrey got his shirt unbuttoned and pushed the fabric over his shoulders and down his arms. When it landed on the floor at the back of his feet, Aubrey nipped his pierced lobe playfully sending pleasurable shocks through Reid's body.

"Dress off now." He sounded like a Neanderthal and it made Aubrey giggle breathlessly.

"Pants first." She bargained playfully.

"Dress first." Reid growled huskily in her ear. Aubrey gave his bare chest a small push and he lifted his head from her neck frowning at her.

Aubrey grinned. "Are you seriously going to debate this with me? Hmm? Cause you don't know how to get this dress off and only I can tell you." She said smugly.

Reid gave her a look clearly not amused. "This is payback for the bathroom thing isn't it." He said undoing his black belt and the fasteners of his slacks.

Aubrey pursed her lips trying desperately not to smile but didn't succeed. "Maybe." She said a rather familiar teasing smile on her lips. Reid used to get his boots untied so when he shoved his pants off, he pulled out of his boots at the same time. When he stood up and looked at her, Aubrey smiled. "There's a zipper on the side." She told him sweetly.

Reid's smirk came back as his hands felt down either side of her body skimming for the zipper. When his fingers came across it he snatched the sliver of metal and pulled it down. Without much more help than the zipper coming down the dress slid off Aubrey's petite feminine frame and pooled around her heel accentuated feet.

Her breasts were bare, which had a very light blush forming on her cheeks at her boyfriends appreciative hungry gaze. His eyes darted down to her low cut white boyshort panties, the white fabric littered in cherries. Aubrey felt Reid's fingers playing over the hem of her panties and she bit her lip and closed her eyes, his fingers dancing lightly over her skin.

"Sweets?" Aubrey's eyes fluttered up and moved up to meet that of Reid's stunning blue eyes. "Are you?" He asked lightly.

Aubrey knew what he was asking and she hated telling him no, but shook her head. "No." She said softly. "Just I have reasons, I'm just..."

"I'm not trying to pressure you, I just wanted to know." He was far too sweet. His friends saw reckless abandon, but Aubrey saw caring and gentle.

Trying to play it off Aubrey put her arms around his neck bringing her bare torso against his, hearing him let out a low moan she grinned. "'Besides, I like clichés, but having our 'first time' on Valentines, that's far to typical and we are not typical." She teased kissing at his collarbone.

Reid hissed when she bit playfully just above his right nipple, on his right pectoral. "Well when you put it that way..." He smirked fisting his fingers in her hair and lifting her head up if just to kiss her lustfully. Reid's hand dropped down and around her waist as he leaned into bending her back over the bed.

Aubrey felt her back rest on the mattress and scooted further onto the bed as Reid moved over her, her fingers getting lost in his blond tresses. Reid littered kisses down the side of Aubrey's neck and collarbone after getting situated comfortably on the bed. A small gasp of surprise escaped Aubrey as Reid flicked his tongue quickly over her left nipple and continued pressing kissed down her abdomen.

His fingers lightly traced her first tattoo, and his teeth nipped playfully at her belly button piercing. Aubrey was thoroughly enjoying this treatment as Reid continued with his kisses, He spread her legs a little further apart pressing a tender kiss to the inside of her left thigh.. Than did the same to the right, before placing a very light kiss to her dampening panties.

A low moan of ecstasy slipped from the small part in Aubrey's lips as Reid's mouth moved back up her body. Chills ran down her body sending goosebumps up along her flesh. "Cold?" Reid murmured into her ear.

Aubrey wondered when he'd gotten back up that far as he kissed and nibbled on her ear. "Mmm..." She murmured arching into his body. "A little." Her words spoken so soft into his ear.

Reid tugged the blankets down beneath her back and wrapped one arm under and around her waist and lifted her up a little to pulled the blankets completely down. He rested her back down and pulled the covers over them, opting to lay at her side. Aubrey rolled on her side bring her hand up to his cheek as they're lips met heatedly. Reid fingers roaming tantalizingly over her skin down to her panties once again.

"Wait." Aubrey said against his lips. Reid opened her eyes looking at her confused. Aubrey gave him a small shove and he rolled on to his back and she positioned herself straddled over his hips. "Don't you want your Valentines present?" She smirked as she leaned down to his ear and tugged lightly at the small gage hoop earring there.

"Is it something good?" Reid questioned, running his hands up her thighs to her waist.

"Oh I think you'll like it." Aubrey said kissing along his neck.

Reid smirked and his hands gripped her hips firmly. "Does this mean I've been a good boy?"

Aubrey kissed along his jaw and pressed her lips to his lightly. "I think so." She grinned as she broke the kiss. Aubrey moved her body down as she pressed butterfly kisses down Reid's torso leading down to this waist. Ducking under the comforter Aubrey kissed the top of his boxers before reaching into his boxers and taking a hold of his hard penis and pulling it out of his boxers.

Gently she ran the tips of her fingers up and down the shaft of his erection. Aubrey heard a groan from her boyfriend and grinned. She'd never done this but for him she'd give it a shot. Aubrey heard the familiar sound of a cell phone ringing, in fact it was Reid's phone and Tyler's ringtone. "Shit." Reid cursed. Aubrey grinned, somehow she knew he'd use to get his phone. Reid flipped the covers back, and frowned at her. "Two seconds?"

Aubrey bit her lip and nodded still running her fingers up and down against his erect member. Reid answered his cell phone. "Ty, man, this better be fucking fantastic news. You have exactly fifteen seconds to grab my attention." Reid snapped.

Grinning Aubrey gripped Reid at the base of his hard on and he looked at her slightly stunned. Having hoped to do this without him staring Aubrey felt a bit self conscious but watched him as her tongue slipped from beneath her lips and licked the head of his erection.

"Holy..." Reid bit his lip. Aubrey having enjoyed his reaction, placed her lips around the tip of his member and plunge downward, being very cautious of her teeth, while she dragged her tongue smoothly across his hot flesh. "Sorry Ty gotta go." Reid said quickly ending the call and tossing his phone on the floor. "Jesus Sweets!" He moaned.

Reid watched as Aubrey's head bobbed smoothly up and down in his lap. He felt her tongue, the slight drag of her teeth, while she moved her lips so silkily around him, her hand pumping with her mouth. All of it combined felt like nothing Reid had ever felt before. And it didn't take very long at all before he was pulsing with a need for release.

"Uh Sweets?" He murmured gripping the sheets.

Aubrey having read somewhere that humming while doing this particular sexual act was euphoric, hummed a reply. The vibrations shooting through him had Reid quivering through his release. A bit surprised Aubrey caught herself before she gagged, not wanting to half ass the deed she swallowed his juices. Lifting her head from his lap she released him completely and looked up into his hungry gaze as she wiped away remnants from the corner of her mouth.

Situating him back into his boxers Aubrey kissed back up his torso and came to his lips stopping and stared into his remarkably blue eyes. "So?" She asked lightly. To this Reid smirked and brought his left hand up behind her neck and pulled her down to kiss her passionately. Reid flipped the over still kissing her while his fingers moved down to her heated core to please her. Aubrey giggled huskily against his lips. "I think that's equivalent to good." She smirked, his fingers dipping into her panties.

Reid placed two fingers at her entrance and kissed her hard. When he pulled back he grinned. "Try fucking fantastic." He said and pressed his lips to hers again, slipping his two digits into her wet folds. Aubrey moaned into his mouth her hands around his back, digging into his flesh as his tongue prodded its way into her mouth.

Shortly after Aubrey and Reid lay in each others arms, content to hold one another close. Aubrey lay with her head on Reid's chest, his arms secured around her petite frame careful of her tattoo and his own. "Sweets?"

"Hmm?" She replied softly tracing a figure eight around his nipple.

Reid looked at her. "Why...um...aren't you ready? Is it something I did?" Reid asked her cautiously.

Aubrey looked up at him quickly. "No, no that's not it at all." She told him with a soft smile. "It's not you. I just want it to be, special and not because there's a holiday or because I need cheering up. I want it to happen when it happens, and I don't want you to have to ask for it I want to be able to give myself to you without hesitating. I'm just nervous."

"Oh." Reid said. "Ok." Reid kissed her temple and Aubrey rested her head back down. "Happy Valentines Sweets."

"Happy Valentines." Aubrey yawned and closed her eyes, Reid ran his fingers through her hair and they both fell asleep.

AN: Sorry for the wait, at first I was having a bit of writers block, then when I was ready to write, I had to make a dentist trip, ugh they pulled a tooth, it sucked so I didn't want to write anymore. Anyways there's gonna be some pics added to my page, check em out. Ok now read and review, hopefully with enough reviews I'll be up for updating sooner rather than later! Please Review!


	18. Strong Words

Chapter 17: Strong Words

Morning After Valentines:

Aubrey awoke in Reid's arms, the same way she'd fallen asleep. Looking over at the alarm clock she saw it was almost one in the afternoon and cracked a wide grin, surprised they'd slept that long, but at the same time not surprised at all.

She untangled herself from Reid's arms and slipped out of bed, almost loosing her balance when she hit the carpet. Looking down she found that she was still wearing the heels from the night before, having never taken them off. With a soft inward laugh and a grin to herself she sat on the edge of the bed and removed the offending stiletto heels and dropped them on the floor.

Without so much as a concern about walking across the room in only her panties Aubrey walked over to Reid's dresser and opened the top drawer grabbing out a pair of her panties and a bra that she'd left there. The second drawer she grabbed one of Reid's black t-shirts and out of the third drawer she pulled the jeans that Reid had 'altered' for her, which she'd left with him just in case.

As she started making her way to the bathroom she heard a groan from the bed and looked behind her. Reid's eyes were opening warily and she smiled. Walking back towards the bed she set the clothes she retrieved at the end of the bed and crawled up and over to her boyfriend. "Morning." Reid murmured tiredly.

Aubrey giggled leaning down and kissing him lightly. "It's afternoon babe."

Reid scrunched his face in distaste and looked over at his alarm clock. "Well damn..." He muttered. "I missed breakfast." He added sardonically.

"Let me get a shower and I'll make you some breakfast." Aubrey smiled down at him sweetly.

Reid eye's wandered to her exposed breasts and grinned. "Can I shower with you?" He said looking up into her eyes.

Aubrey smirked. "Are you going to behave?"

"Probably not." Reid grinned.

"Then no you may not." Aubrey replied mockingly getting off the bed and snatching the clothes she'd set at the end of the mattress.

"You just can't handle this." Reid said grinning manically at her gesturing to his body.

Aubrey scoffed. "Yeah, that's it." She remarked walking in to the bathroom and shutting the door.

Twenty minutes later Aubrey exited the bathroom towel drying her hair, a little surprised Reid hadn't barged in demanding to shower with her. But it wasn't half as surprising as what she was hearing.

"_L is for the way you look at me,_

_O is for the only one I see._

_V is very, very extraordinary,_

_E is even more anyone that you adore can_

_Love is all that I can give to you._

_Love is more than just a game for two_

_Two in love can make_

_Take my heart and please don't break it _

_Love is made for me and you..."_

Aubrey had dropped the towel on the floor and made her way out of the open bedroom door, towards the kitchen where the music was coming from. And to her complete astonishment, there stood Reid in his jeans, bare torso and feet at the stove singing along to Frank Sinatra. "I didn't know you were a Sinatra fan." Aubrey grinned when she saw Reid jump and drop the spatula in his hand. She giggled cause it was very rare that she ever scared him.

Never one to actually falter Reid smirked. "Eh I know a little." He said cockily.

Aubrey smiled. "You goof." She walked further in to the kitchen. Reid reclaimed his spatula and returned to the stove. "I thought it was agreed I'd cook?"

"Well I figured if I didn't do something, I'd invade your shower." Reid said playfully.

Aubrey stood next to the stove leaning back against the counter looking at Reid. "I was half expecting it and I must say I was a little disappointed when you didn't show."

Reid looked over at her and made a face of disbelief and then playfully glared at her. "Are all girls so complicated or am I just the lucky one to have you?"

"No all girls." Aubrey teased. "But if you want to feel lucky..." She drawled playfully.

Reid flipped the French toast and shook his head. The radio continued to play in the background, old classic hits. "So how do you like your French toast?" He questioned.

Aubrey bit her lip nervously. "You'll think I'm strange if I tell you."

"What do you like pudding on top or something equally disgusting?" Reid questioned with a laugh.

"No." Aubrey shook her head. "Peanut butter spread on top and maple syrup poured over it."

Reid gave her a look. "You're shitting me right?"

"No, not shitting you." Aubrey giggled.

Beginning of March:

"Mr. Garwin please answer question number eight." Professor Mead insisted.

Reid looked up from the note Aubrey had slipped onto his desk at the teacher. "Uh...forty six." He guessed.

Professor Mead looked a bit startled looking down at his book and then back up at Reid a smile appearing on his face. "Yes that's right." Aubrey looked over at Reid and winked and he smiled back before looking back at her note.

Lunch:

"So...Reid what do you want for your birthday?" Aubrey asked sitting next to him at the groups table. Pogue, Kate, Sarah and Caleb were sitting with them. Tyler had gone back to his dorm to get his laptop for his next class.

Reid looked over at her a wolfish gleam in his eye. "Let me think..." He trailed off that Garwin smirk firmly placed on his lips.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "You're impossible." After they finished their lunch Reid offered to walk Aubrey to the library, so that she could finish up some homework.

"You know I was only kidding earlier right?" Reid asked as they walked down the hall hand in hand.

"Of course." Aubrey smiled at him. They snuck into their back corner of the quiet library and both took a seat against the wall. Aubrey set her bag in the corner, ran her fingers through her hair and then looked over at Reid. "Shall we then?" She said with a mischievous smile.

Reid smirked moving in quickly to kiss her. Aubrey responded by turning her body and laying back on the carpeted floor as Reid moved to lay over her. Aubrey's arms found their way around Reid's neck, one of his sliding up her outer right thigh beneath her school issued skirt and the other held him propped above her. Their kisses turned into passionate tongue play as they casually caressed each other for what felt like hours. Reid's fingerless gloves scraped against her smooth skin, while his bare fingertips played with the hem of her boy cut panties.

They were both vaguely aware of a clearing throat a little while later but seemed to forget it within seconds of it's occurrence. "Mr. Garwin, Miss Higgins please separate immediately." That did the trick, they both broke away from each other Reid turned his head looking up at the librarian.

"Mrs. Hamilton!" Aubrey exclaimed quietly as Reid quickly got up and helped her up. Aubrey fumbled with her skirt, hoping it wasn't held up somewhere. She looked up at Mrs. Hamilton the librarian guiltily.

"Miss Higgins I know you're aware of the school rules better than any student." Mrs. Hamilton chastised. She held three books cradled in her arms, she must have been putting them away when she stumbled on the couple making out.

Aubrey nodded mutely.

"It wasn't her fault, I'm a horrible influence Denise." Reid always called female teachers by their first names using his most charming Garwin smile to get himself or Aubrey out of trouble. "If anyone deserves detention for PDA it's me."

Mrs. Hamilton looked at him, though most of the female teachers weren't wooed by his charm, they did take a fond liking to the blond, while the male teachers simply had disliked him for his abrupt interruptions. She gave a small smile. "If you both promise me, I wont be catching you like this again I'll let you both off with a warning and mysteriously forget to tell the Provost." She bargained.

Reid and Aubrey looked at each other before looking back at Mrs. Hamilton with nods of agreement. "Yes ma'am." They said in unison.

Mrs. Hamilton sighed. "I was young and in love once, but the library is know place for those kinds of sessions. Save them for off school property please."

Both teens nodded again. Mrs. Hamilton left them alone and went about putting away the books in her arms. Aubrey grabbed her bag as did Reid and he took her hand and lead her out of the library. As soon as they were in the hall they both cracked up laughing.

"I...I don't even know...why I'm laughing." Aubrey spoke between fits of laughter.

Reid's laughs slowly calmed and he kissed her temple, her body shaking with silent laughter as she tried to rein it in. "Cause it was funny." He said.

They made it to class just in time for the bell to ring and took their seats. Reid rested his hand on Aubrey's thigh, pushing her skirt up a little as his fingers scratched over her skin simply. Aubrey had gotten use to these gestures, since they shared more classes together with the new spring trimester starting and all. So she went about taken notes while Reid rested his forearm on his desk, chin on his forearm and stared blankly ahead.

"Aubrey?" Aubrey's head snapped up twenty minutes in to class when the teacher called on her. "Provost would like a word with you in his office after class."

Unsure of what her 'father' could possibly want she simply nodded as the office assistant walked back out of the classroom. "What do you think he wants?" Reid whispered in to her ear lightly once their teachers had turned back to his white board.

Looking over at him Aubrey shrugged, her face clearly showing how confused she was at this turn of events.

After class was over Aubrey gathered her things and made her way into the hallway slowly with Reid. "So I guess I have to go to the office." She said dully.

Reid kissed her cheek. "It'll be fine."

"I haven't talked to him since that morning Reid." Aubrey murmured.

"I'll be in class waiting for you ok?"

"Yeah. Kiss me quick, in case he's trying to send me away again." She tried to joke.

Reid grinned at her and gave her a quick kiss. "He wont." He said kissing her forehead. "See you in a few."

"Yeah." Aubrey gave him one last smile and walked towards the administration building.

Provosts Office:

"Sir, Aubrey's here." Higgins nodded and Aubrey let herself in around the elder woman. The door shut behind her and she lifted her head up and caught his gaze.

"Have a seat." He said gesturing to the chair.

"What's this about?" Aubrey questioned braver than she felt at the moment.

"We haven't spoken since that morning and I've wanted to talk to you."

"Right, so you can ship me off again. Tell me what a huge mistake I'm making by being with Reid. What a huge mistake I'm making by having a relationship with my biological low-life bartender of a father. Thanks but I've already heard it all." Aubrey said bitterly.

Robert sighed. "No. That isn't...it's not why I called you here. I know this sounds particularly cliché, but these last few months have made me open my eyes. I've been laying the blame in the wrong place for all these years. I have no one to blame for my own misery but myself. The moment I found out about you I should've let your mother go. I think deep down I knew even though I loved her I wasn't her first choice.

I can't be angry with your mother anymore. She was just trying to do what was right for you. But don't think I don't love you, I do. I watched you grow up in to a stunning young lady, just like your mother and the moment I knew about you and Mr. Garwin I was afraid you'd end up like your mother and in my heart I didn't want that to happen. You had such promise and I saw nothing but your mother's sacrifices for you going down the drain."

Aubrey was stunned by her father's honesty. He'd really done some serious soul searching since their last encounter. "So you've finally forgiven her than?" She asked.

Robert shook his head no. "There's nothing to forgive. It was never her fault her heart belonged to someone else, and I should never have been greedy enough to keep her when I knew the truth."

This was a lot for Aubrey to take in. She sat silently across from him fiddling with the beautiful turtle shaped pendant necklace her mother had given her before she'd died. "Ok." Was all she could think to say.

"Ok?" Robert asked.

"I'm still extremely upset with you for not telling me about Nicky, but I'm glad you've finally done some thinking and laid the blame where it needed to be." Aubrey said looking at him again instead of blankly at his desk.

Robert nodded. "So I'm offering you an invite home this Friday for dinner." He told her. "And...I'd like you to bring Mr. Garwin." He took a calming breath and nodded his head reassuring himself mostly that it's what he wanted.

Aubrey stared dumbfounded at him for two seconds. "D-d-dinner? You...Reid? In the same house?"

"I promise to be on my up most behavior, if he does." Robert offered. "Speak with him before you make any decisions and then let me know what you decide." He paused and sat forward in his chair and rested his hands on his desk a determined look on his face. "Aubrey just because we are not blood related does not me I don't care for you. And I am trying." He added thoughtfully.

Aubrey licked her dry lips and stopped from messing with her necklace, she set her hands in her lap and sat up straight. "Sometimes you have a strange way of showing it." She murmured.

"I am very sorry for everything I've put you through since your mother passed, I've asked so much of you. There's so many things to apologize for I wouldn't even know where to begin." He replied.

Taking a deep breath Aubrey swallowed loudly. "But you're trying to make things right and I can't deny you that. I'll talk to Reid and let you know by tomorrow evening."

"Good." Robert gave a small smile, the first Aubrey had seen since their argument that wasn't forced. Aubrey stood putting the shoulder strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder.

Before she turned to leave she looked back at him offering a smile and then left.

Reid's Dorm:

After their final class Reid and Aubrey headed back to his dorm room, since Tyler was actually going to be at the library late studying. "So? Tell me." Reid said flopping down on his bed. Aubrey dropped her messenger bag next to Reid's books, at the end of his bed and moved to sit next to him.

She recounted the entire meeting with her father to him and Reid listened intently. "So he wants us to come to the house for dinner Friday night." Aubrey said looking over at him. "What do you think?"

"I think...this is up to you. I'll go if you want to." Reid replied.

Aubrey sighed. "I'm not completely sure what I want to do yet. I mean he's trying right?"

"He is." Reid nodded.

"Right, so we should go. He promised to be nice to you as long as you give the same courtesy."

Reid grinned. "I don't know it might be hard not to crack on him a few times."

"Reid." Aubrey said warningly.

He chuckled. "Ok, ok I'll be on my best behavior."

"Fine. It's settle then I guess." Aubrey said softly. "We go."

Friday Night:

"No, turn around go back." Aubrey told Reid.

He just laughed. "Sweets chill. We're almost there and you already accepted the invite. We are going."

"What if it turns into another argument? What if he didn't mean anything the other day? What if he's just bringing us there to tell me he's sending me off across the world!" She asked panicking.

Reid grabbed her hand in his own as he drove them in his Camaro to the Higgins household. "If he sends you across the world, I'll follow. And if he tries to start something I'll defend you. Now breath."

Aubrey breathed in deeply and then out and repeated the action a few more times as they pulled into the Higgins driveway. Reid climbed out of the car after shutting it down and walked around opening Aubrey's door. Unbuckling her seatbelt, Aubrey placed her hand in Reid's offered one and he helped her out of the car.

Dressed in a pair of dark denim skinny jeans, with a black and white polka dot bustier beneath a white button up top, that was only buttoned halfway so you could see the top portion of the bustier, and black heels Aubrey looked over at the front door then at Reid.

He was dressed casually but still more than his usual attire. He wore a un-tucked black button up and light denim jeans. And of course his black boots. Reid made the first move and rang the doorbell.

The door swung open to reveal Aubrey's father. "Where's..."

"Gave her the rest of the night off." He replied before she could even finish her sentence. He looked at Reid and gave a force smile. "Mr. Garwin."

"Provost Higgins." Reid said replied. Higgins stepped aside to let them in and Aubrey lead Reid in to the foyer.

"Well dinner's all set on the table why don't you two head in that direction." And as they were walking away he spoke again. "Aubrey are you wearing heels?"

It was common knowledge to her father she didn't care for heels. But her stand on them had changed greatly after meeting Val, she hated how short she was mostly compared to Reid so heels generally helped with that problem. "I feel so short compared to Reid." She said turning and glancing over her shoulder at him. Reid was leading her, hand on her low back, as she guided him towards the dinning room.

"You are short." Reid mocked as he pulled a chair from the dinning room table for her.

Aubrey glared at him playfully and took her seat. She set her sidekick on the table and watched her father and Reid take seats. Robert looked over at the cell phone. "Where'd you get that?" He questioned.

Mentally Aubrey smacked herself for being careless like that. "I got a small advance from my inheritance after contacting mom's lawyer." She lied.

"Don't I have to approve that?" Robert questioned.

"Nope." Aubrey replied and set the now unfolded napkin in her lap.

"Right." He murmured. "Well dig in."

After they dished up their plates things got a bit awkward and the silence was starting to unnerve Aubrey a little. Her father had asked them here to make amends, so she was a firm believer he should try and start conversation.

"Oh, Aubrey your letter from Brown was delivered yesterday. They sent it here since this is technically still your address." Robert said quietly.

Aubrey's head jerked up to look at him. "Really?"

"It's in my office, I can go get it if you like."

"No. I'll get it before we leave." Aubrey told him and went back to eating.

"Reid where do you plan to attend college?" Aubrey mentally groaned, this was going to be a long night.

Reid shook his head. "I don't. I'm going to take online courses to get a business degree and open a place of my own."

"What kind of place?" Robert asked feigning interest.

Reid swallowed his chewed food and Aubrey caught his eye ever so slightly shaking her head in warning. "I uh don't know yet." He lied. Reid knew exactly what he wanted to do, but her father would not take well to that at all.

"Good luck in those endeavors." Robert said almost kindly.

A little perturbed by the response Reid looked across the table at Aubrey with raised brows and then at Provost Higgins with an indifferent facade. "Uh thanks."

It got quiet again while they finished eating. "So how are things with Nicholas?" Robert asked just as Aubrey was taking a drink of her water and she swallowed it down the wrong pipe in shock and started coughing. She managed to get it under control and looked up at her 'father' and pursed her lips.

"Uh, Nicky and things are fine. There just fine." She told him.

"Sounds like you're trying to reassure yourself of that fact." Robert stated.

Aubrey made to reply when Reid stepped in. "I've seen them together and he treats her better than you did." Bitterness laced Reid's words.

This was what Aubrey had feared, now it was all going to go downhill. "I guess I deserved that." Aubrey's jaw dropped open in shock. "Don't look so stunned, I can admit I was wrong."

"You've never done so before." Aubrey told him.

"Well I can. Reid I'm sorry for the way I've treated you in the passed, I've held a grudge against your father for quite some time. See I can admit I was wrong."

"And with a straight face too." Reid said grinning at Aubrey and she put her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

"Well now that you've both have had your amusement for the evening...there something I'd like to discuss with you Aubrey." Aubrey nodded at Robert telling him to continue silently. "I've given a lot of thought about your mothers things and I think we should donate them."

"But..." Aubrey started.

"Before you get upset, I think you should go through and find anything you'd like to keep and everything else, should go to charity. Your mother was quite fond of donating things and I think she would've wanted it that way."

Aubrey looked down at her plate contemplating what he'd said. She felt a foot tap her ankle and glanced up from beneath her lashes at Reid and he gave her that look of concern. The thought of parting with the things that her mother loved was devastating, but her mother would've wanted it that way. She lifted her head and smiled at Reid then looked to Robert. "That's fine."

"Are you sure, I'd hate for you to think I'm just throwing away her things?"

"I'm positive. Mom would've wanted that. I'll come back with Reid and Val soon and sort through her things and find the stuff I'd like to keep." Aubrey told him. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go use the ladies room." She stood and set her napkin on the table and left the dining room.

Reid felt awkward sitting there alone with his Provost. The only time he spent alone with the Provost usually was when he was in his office getting punished and sentenced to detention. "How has she been?"

Startled out of his own thoughts Reid glanced over at Robert. "Happy."

"You're treating her well I take it?"

Reid nodded. "Like a princess."

"Good."

"You know, despite what you might think of me or perceive me as I'm a good guy and I love Aubrey more than anything in this world. I have every intention of asking her to marry me someday, because I know without her I'm nothing." Reid stated his speech a tad defensive towards the older man.

Higgins sighed and nodded. "Those are strong words Reid."

"And I stand by them." Reid replied. They both heard the click of Aubrey's heels and the dining room fell silent once again as she walked back in and over to her chair.

"I'll go retrieve the dessert." Robert stated getting up and walking in to the kitchen. Aubrey automatically moved the dinner plates down to the unused end of the table. She'd done that as a young girl.

"So?" Aubrey asked reclaiming her chair and looking over at Reid.

He smiled at her and held his hand out across the table and she put her hand in it. "Cleared a few things up." He replied.

Aubrey smiled. "Like?"

"Alright, homemade chocolate pudding." Robert came back in and set small pudding bowls down in front of Aubrey and Reid and then set his at his place. "I'm going to retrieve that letter." He said and then walked off.

"Reid?"

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about Sweets I promise." Reid replied grinning at her.

They brought their hands back into their own laps and waited silently for Robert to come back. Aubrey watched Reid the whole time scrutinizing him with a playful smile. When Higgins came back he took his seat and handed the small envelope to Aubrey.

Aubrey set it to the side and they ate their dessert in relative silence. The only words spoken were simple and too the point. And the end of the meal Aubrey and Reid walked hand in hand towards the front door. "Well I thank you both for coming." Robert said kindly as he showed them to the door.

"No problem." Reid stated casually.

Aubrey smiled at him. "Would you go wait in the car, I just need a word with him alone." Reid kissed her cheek said goodbye to Robert and went out to his car. Turning towards her 'father' Aubrey smile shifted downward only a little. "This was nice of you."

"The least I can do." Robert stated.

"You're trying and that...it...you don't know how much that means to me." Aubrey told him quietly. "Reid's more than a misfit, he loves me and if you just get to know him..."

"I told you can admit when I'm wrong. The way he looked at you tonight...it's doesn't take a genius to see how much he cares for you and I was wrong to deny you both that." Robert stated looking at his 'daughter'. "He makes you happy, I can see it in your eyes. They light up, like your mothers did when she'd look at you."

Aubrey nodded. "He does."

"Than I can accept that."

"We should be going. I'll let you know when I can come by and look through moms things." Aubrey didn't want to cry, but the emotion in that moment made her want to. So she needed to leave.

Robert nodded. "Alright. Have a safe trip to the dorms."

"Goodnight." Aubrey said and leaned up kissing his cheek and then walked out the front door. She got in to Reid's car and looked over at him.

"So a successful night?" Reid asked smirking at her.

Aubrey grinned brightly back. "I'd say so." And the left bound for the dorms.

AN: Sorry everyone I know it's been a while. I've had a major case of writers block on this chapter. There was something I wanted to do, but changed my mind like a million times. Anyways hope everyone enjoyed, and I hope not to hold out on you again for the next chapter my next few weeks are looking crazy as hell. My cousin is coming in to town from england and I have a ornament premiere at work. Yeah it's just hectic trust me. Anyways maybe we the right incentive 'cough-cough' reviews 'cough-cough' I'd be more willing to update faster! Up to you! Lates!


	19. Chase the Nightmares Away

Chapter 18: Chase the Nightmares Away

"Oh shoot." Aubrey said digging through her purse to find her dorm keys. Her and Reid had just gotten back from dinner with Aubrey's 'father' and were now standing outside her dorm. "I don't have my keys, Val does she took my car in to Boston."

Reid grabbed the doorknob. "No sweat I got..."

"No. Please don't." Aubrey shook her head. "You're so close to your birthday."

"Now you're paranoid to?" Reid asked.

She smiled up at him removing his hand from the doorknob. "Cautious. Come on just take me to your dorm, I sleep with you tonight."

Reid smirked. "Sounds promising."

Aubrey rolled her eyes, smile never leaving her face as they started down the hallway the way they'd come. "You've been a perfect gentlemen this whole night, did you just need your daily dose of pervertedness?"

"Yep." Reid kissed her cheek. "So you going to open that letter from Brown?"

"Eventually." Aubrey and Reid reached his dorm room and without much thought Aubrey grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open, knowing Tyler would have left it unlocked. As she walked in and looked. "Shit." She cursed stepping back and shutting the door.

Reid looked confused and went to grab the door handle. "What?"

Aubrey grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "Don't."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I just saw more of Jack than I ever wanted to see and never want to see again." Reid's mouth fell open and then he smirked. He tried to open the door again but Aubrey stopped.

"Ah come on it's only fair..." Reid whined. Aubrey gave him her best stern look and he huffed childishly. "So now what?"

"Five, four, three, two..." And at one the door opened and Aubrey and Reid looked up to find a blushing Jack, wearing a t-shirt and some jersey shorts of Tyler's.

"Sorry." She murmured.

"No I should've knocked, bad habit." Aubrey replied.

Reid and Aubrey followed Jack in to the room and the young girl made herself comfortable on Tyler's bed. Reid smirked. "Dude..."

"Keep your comments to yourself until your alone Reid." Aubrey told him.

Tyler blushed but saw Reid smirk, nod and give him a thumbs up of approval. This just had Tyler blushing more. "I thought you were staying in Aubrey's dorm?" Tyler asked.

"We were until Val took my keys and I didn't want...Reid picking the lock." Aubrey said giving Tyler a look.

"Right."

Aubrey looked at Reid. "But maybe I should rethink that."

"Come on Sweets, I'll pick the lock." Reid grabbed her hand and started out the door they'd just come in.

"Sorry again." Aubrey said walking out with Reid.

"Night!" Jack called just as the door shut.

Reid and Aubrey, yet again headed towards Aubrey's dorm room. "This is getting ridiculous." Reid groaned.

Aubrey giggled. "Well we wanted to be alone anyways right?"

"Yeah."

"Val's staying in Boston with her parents tonight." She smiled at him. "So we can pick up where Mrs. Hamilton interrupted the other day."

"I like how you think." Reid grinned pulling Aubrey closer and bending his face down before her and kissing her lips tenderly.

_Aubrey's eyes opened and she stretched out. Noticing her bed empty next to her, she stood and looked in to the bathroom. "Reid?" Nothing, so she decided to check in the halls, maybe he'd woken restless and decided to go for a shower._

_Stepping out in to the hallway, Aubrey wrapped her black robe around her petite frame, and slipped on a pair of flip flops. She shut her door behind her and headed towards the boys showers. _

_A soft scrapping noise to her left had Aubrey looking to the stairwell. "Hello?" She asked quietly. No response, so she stepped onto the stairwell leaning over the railing to see if someone was further down. _

_With a loud gasp Aubrey hurriedly made her way down the steps, to her unconscious boyfriend. "Reid. Reid? Baby can you hear me?" She pleaded reaching him and lifting his head in to her lap as she sat next to his fallen body on the stairs. He was on the first floor of the dormitory building, legs on the cool linoleum tiles and his torso lay sprawled awkwardly on the two stairs up from the main floor._

_"Reid, baby open your..." She paused looking him over, seeing scratch marks up and down his arms. Like claws. _

_A growl diverted her attention across the hall, coming out of dark shadows on the student lounge was a large wolf. The same wolf Aubrey had seen on Christmas. "Oh god." She breathed watching it stalk towards her, teeth bared in a vicious way. _

_The wild animal leapt at her..._

"Ahh..." Aubrey screamed sitting up in bed. Looking around she noticed she was in her dorm room, no wild wolf anywhere around.

"Sweets, what's wrong?" Reid sat up and she could hear the sleep laced in his voice.

Turning her head she came inches away from his face. "Nightmare." She said softly.

Reid reached up and gently ran a thumb over her sweaty cheek. "Must've been some nightmare, you're sweating and it's freezing in here." He spoke quietly. "You going to be ok?"

Aubrey brushed the hair out of her face and then proceeded to pull it all over her right shoulder and looked up in to Reid's eyes. "I'll be fine."

He gave her a skeptical look. "Baby you sure?"

Aubrey nodded. "Please just hold me while I sleep."

Reid wrapped his arms around her and laid back down on the bed. Aubrey's head lay on his shoulder, one of her legs rested over his waist, his left arm over her waist, his right tucked under her head gently as his fingers smoothed down her hair. "Go back to sleep Sweets."

"Night Reid, I love you." Aubrey whispered around a yawn.

"I love you too." Reid kissed her temple and soon they'd both fallen back to sleep.

March 10th:

"Ok, so I make this shot, you tell me your wildest sex fantasy." Reid smirked at Aubrey and she nodded.

"Fine, if you don't you owe me a coke."

"Deal." Reid smirked. Just as he was leaning down he felt her hot breath on his ear. "And don't use. I'm watching." She whispered huskily.

A small grin played on his pursed lips as he lined up his shot. If he hit the eight ball in, he was in for a fantasy story told by his girlfriend. He'd been trying to figure out the best way to celebrate her birthday, and maybe just maybe they'd finally be together. Not that he was pressuring her or anything, but he loved her and wanted to show her how gentle and loving he could be when given something as delicate as her body to work with.

Aubrey groaned as the eight ball slipped in to the corner. "I win." Reid said mockingly.

"I see that." Aubrey set her pool cue down on the table and walked over to the bar. "Hey Nicky can I get two cokes please?" Nicky smiled at her and nodded. She leaned on the bar waiting for the drinks when she felt a hand smack her ass. Turning her body to scold Reid she was shocked to find not her boyfriend but Aaron Abbot.

"Well hello gorgeous." Aaron smirked.

"Get away from me you pervert." Aubrey turned back to the bar. Aaron leaned his side on the bar and leaned in towards her.

"Come on sweetheart, let me show you what Garwin's lacking." He whispered gruffly in her ear.

"No thanks." Aubrey snided. Nicky set to soda's down on the bar for her.

"Hey Abbot I think you should leave Aubrey alone." Nicky stated glaring at the young man in question.

Aubrey gave him a thankful smile. "What's it to you Nicky?" Aaron snipped. Aaron was normally smart enough not to piss Nicky off, but he smelled like alcohol so he'd probably been drinking a little before showing up in the bar.

Nicky gave him a mean look leaning over the bar grabbing the collar of Aaron's lettermen jacket and pulling him closer. "I've seen the way you treat girls Abbot and while I enjoy your business here, I will not let you hurt my daughter, now get the hell out of here before I call the cops and have you arrested for underage drinking."

Aaron's eyes went wide at the daughter comment and he scampered off the second Nicky let him go. He grabbed his buddies and they were out the door like that. Aubrey looked a Nicky a bit shocked. "You didn't have to do that." She said kindly.

Nicky smiled. "No one hits on my daughter when she's unwanting and gets away with it."

Aubrey smiled. "So I'm your daughter now."

"Of course." Nicky grinned.

"Publicly?" Aubrey questioned.

"As public as it's going to get as soon as Abbot spreads the word. Sorry about that by the way." Nicky stated.

Aubrey grinned happily. "Don't be. And thanks for getting rid of him, I didn't want him to start something with Reid."

"Welcome. Now go, Reid's looking antsy over there without you." Iaubrey looked back behind herself and sure enough there was a girl trying to talk to Reid and he was ignore her looking her way now his eyes landing on hers and pleading. Aubrey grinned and looked back at Nicky. "On the house." He gestured to the drinks.

"Thanks." She leaned across the bar kissing his cheek and then took the two cokes over to her boyfriend. "Hey baby." The girl who'd previously been trying to chat him up looked at Aubrey.

"You his girlfriend?" She asked.

Aubrey handing him his coke and took a sip of her own. "Last I checked..." She looked at her watch. "Five seconds ago, yep."

The girl rolled her eyes and walked away. Reid wrapped his free arm around Aubrey's waist. "I love you so much, she was so annoying."

"Why didn't you just tell her to go away?" Aubrey questioned looking up at him.

Reid shrugged. "I tried she wouldn't go away."

"Well sounds like I had better luck than you. Abbot started hitting on me, he wouldn't leave me alone so Nicky told him to leave his daughter alone and get out before he called the cops to charge him with underage drinking."

Aubrey saw the grin appear on Reid's lips. "He told Abbot you're his daughter?"

"Yeah." She giggled happily. "It's progress."

"Baby I'm happy for you." Reid said kissing her softly.

"Why don't we go out to the dells for old times sake." Aubrey suggested.

Reid frowned at her teasingly. "You owe me a certain fantasy Sweets."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I haven't forgotten, I need to come up with one."

"You can't tell me you've never had daydreams about it."

"Nothing that'll satisfy you." Aubrey replied taking a large drink of her soda before setting it down on the table her and Reid had been using. Reid did the same.

"Who said it needed to satisfy me?" Reid questioned.

Aubrey looked at him brow raised, smirk in place. "You said wildest sex fantasy, none of mine have been that wild."

"Really?"

"Really. I don't even know how to classify wild. Is it hot shower sex or is it spontaneous sex in a glass elevator in the mall. I mean..." Aubrey looked over and saw Reid had stopped walking. She stopped and turned towards her stunned boyfriend. "What?"

"I can't believe you just said that, it's like some fantasy out of a porn movie." He said chuckling lightly. "Sweets is there something you want to share."

"Like?" Aubrey asked confused by his question completely.

Reid smirked walking towards her. "Having you been visiting the adult movie store without me.

Aubrey gasped. "What? No. Ew."

"What's so 'ew' about it?" Reid grinned.

Aubrey looked slightly appalled at even the thought. "You do realize, none of that's real. I mean it's real, but it's so fake it's not."

"That didn't make any sense." Reid chuckled.

"Please tell me you haven't been renting porn you pervert?" Aubrey said.

Reid grinned. "Uh well, not renting it..."

"Oh ew." Aubrey stepped out of his embrace and continued on to his car. "That's disgusting Reid. Do you know how degrading that is?"

"What they seem to enjoy it." Reid remarked making his way over to the drivers side door of his camaro.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Not that, I mean whatever to each their own, but to normal girls."

"I'm not sure I get it." Reid said as they both got in the car and buckled up.

Aubrey sighed. "Of course you don't, you aren't a teen girl. Girls who have boyfriends that watch that kind of stuff, feel like they have to change their image to make their boyfriend happy in bed. It's degrading to those girls because they feel like that's the only way to make their boyfriend happy, the only way to turn him on."

Reid was still slightly confused but he seemed to understand a little better. "Ok I get what your saying."

"I wont do that Reid." Aubrey said matter-oh-factly all the playfulness from earlier gone from her voice.

"What?" Reid asked again confused.

"Change myself to be like that. I'm not some sex kitten who dresses up like a naughty school girl to please her boyfriend in bed." Aubrey was vehement in her words.

Reid looked over at her. "I wouldn't ask you too, I like you the way you are. Besides I've only ever seen one porn movie and that's when I was like fourteen because Pogue found it stashed away in his dad's DVD stand. And I never said I liked porn."

"You implied."

"Only jokingly. Porns cool but it ain't that great. And you're right it's very unrealistic, it wouldn't turn me on even if it was happening right in front of me. The only thing I need to turn me on is you, in only my shirt in my bed." Reid grinned at her and a small blush gathered on her cheeks.

The rest of the trip was silent for the two as Reid pulled off the main road a few minutes later, driving through the wooded path that led to the cliffs over looking the dells. Reid parked and they both got out of the car, coming around to meet in front of it. Reid put his arms around Aubrey and hers went around his waist as they watched the rest of the sunset the sliver of orangy red giving way to the deep black, almost dark violet looking night sky littered with stars and the moon glowing ever brighter as the sun faded away out of sight.

"So you want to know my wildest sex fantasy?" Aubrey asked lightly. Reid kissed the top of her head and held her tighter.

"Sure."

Aubrey snuggled closer in to his warmth. "It's simple as just spending a night with you."

"How wild of you." Reid teased.

"Oh I'm sure it'd be plenty wild." Aubrey joked. Reid kissed the top of her head again. "So what's your fantasy? And please don't tell me it's a naughty school girl outfit, cause I might have to hurt you." She giggled.

Reid chuckled. "No. It's the same as yours."

"I've been thinking. Maybe if everything goes well on your birthday we could...well let's just say I'll stick a bow on my head and wish you happy birthday." She murmured a soft pink tinge on her cheeks.

"I wouldn't say no, but I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you, with all this fantasy talk and what not. I'm perfectly happy keeping things the way they are until you're ready." Reid told her.

Aubrey smiled to herself. That was exactly why she'd been thinking about having their first time on his birthday. He'd been so wonderful about waiting, for her and she wanted to do something special for him on his birthday as long as his ascension went as planned. He'd told her it would be a bit painful and she wanted to be able to take the pain away, take his mind off of his new powers. Sarah had told her Caleb said the first forty-eight hours were the worst because the power was just calling out to be used, it was like nothing he'd ever felt and he was worried for Reid.

In all honestly Aubrey was worried for Reid as well, even though he told her he wasn't addicted like Caleb thought and he didn't use often she was still worried. It was that part of her deep down that was allowed to worry, she was his girlfriend so she had the right to worry.

"And while I love that maybe it's time we take things further." Aubrey told him.

"We'll just see where that night leads ok?"

Aubrey looked up at him, his blond hair hidden beneath his navy blue beanie she'd gotten him a few weeks back on a whim. And his fingers adorned in his usual fingerless gloves. Aubrey pulled one of her own hands from around his waist to admired the dark purple fingerless gloves he'd gotten her a while back, they had a silver skull on the back of the hand. She loved them. "I like that idea." She said lightly moving her arm back around his waist.

"Me too Sweets." Reid bent his head as she glanced back up at him and kissed her. It was light to the touch but full of love and warmth, still managing to send shivers up her spine though.

Aubrey was brought out of her kiss daze by the sound of howling. Alarmed she glanced around.

"What? What's wrong Sweets?" Reid questioned.

Turning her eyes back to his Aubrey sighed. "Nothing. I want to go."

"We haven't been here long though." Reid said raising his eyebrow.

Aubrey nodded. "I know, but please I want to go, I don't feel safe out here."

Reid was taken by surprise by this, he knew how she felt about being alone in the woods at night, but usually when she was with him she was fine. "Aubrey somethings been up with you for a week or so now, what's wrong?"

Aubrey sighed. "That nightmare I had, there was the wolf, the same wolf I saw Christmas day."

"Aubrey it was just..."

"No Reid the nightmares have been coming more regularly, I've had a few more since that night now and it's starting to worry me. What if it is that Chase kid? Your birthday's in five days Reid." She said letting him go to stand in front of him.

"Sweets, it's not possible." Reid said simply bringing his hands up and grabbing her shoulders.

Aubrey gave him a look. "Sarah told me they didn't find his body." She hissed. "What if you're wrong and it is possible. He went after Caleb what's to keep him from coming after you?"

"Look Pogue ascended just fine and if Chase was gonna go after anyone, it'd be Pogue trust me they hated each other." Reid said.

"I don't know maybe he was hanging low from the fight with Caleb, maybe he needed time to heal. But all I know is these dreams are freaking me out, they just get worse and worse..." Tears were leaking from her eyes now. "Do you know what it's like to see the person you love the most with his throat slashed to hell..."

Reid just pulled her into him, hugging her close. "I'm so sorry Sweets."

"No you wouldn't, cause he's not doing it to you. He's doing it to me." She cried into his shirt.

"I'll talk to Caleb, we'll fix this. I'm so sorry."

"I can't sleep anymore Reid. I'm terrified of what's awaiting me in my dreams." Aubrey sniffled burying her face further into his chest.

Reid rubbed her back and kissed her head. "I'll fix it. I will."

"Stay with me tonight?" Aubrey looked up at him, tears sliding down from the corners of her eyes. "It's easier when you're holding me. When I wake up, I see that you're ok."

Reid nodded. "Ok, I'll stay with you." He whispered against her hair. "I'll stay."

Aubrey hugged him tighter to her not wanting to let go after all those images flooded back in to her mind. She'd been trying desperately to forget them, for Reid's sake. Aubrey didn't want to put stress on him so close to his birthday, but it all had just rushed back to her in those few moments.

"I'll chase the nightmares away." Reid murmured kissing her forehead before he got her in to the car and then headed back to the dorms.

AN: Ok this chapter is a little all over the place, but I was trying to bring out a few details for future chapters to come int his one. So I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter, which was a little disappointing and it was hard to right this chapter. I just wasn't feeling it, so please please please let me know what you think, it'll help me get the next chapter out sooner. Please! With a cherry on top!


	20. Detained

Chapter 19: Detained

Aubrey bolted into an upright position, breathing heavy, heart racing. Her eyes wandered around her dorm room. Val was asleep in her bed, the blaring red lights on the alarm red four a.m. So it was no surprise Val was still asleep.

Deciding that she'd rather stay awake, then go back to the hell of her nightmares Aubrey slipped from her bed and grabbed her showering bag. Silently she crept out of the dorm room door and headed for the girls showers just down the hall. A soft chill ran up her spine and she circled around making sure no one was behind her. The halls were still dark and unpopulated, it being such an early hour and all. So Aubrey continued on her way.

When she reached the showers she set her bag down in the changing space of her chosen shower stall and then shut the glass shower door behind her. Slipping out of Reid's shirt and her shorts she folded them neatly and set them on the small bench. She turned the shower on, grimacing at first as cold water poured out the first few seconds and then gave way to hotter more relaxing water.

The stall began to steam up as she washed her hair and then scrubbed down her soft pale skin. When the soupy residue was completely wash away from her hair and body Aubrey simply enjoyed the heated water pouring down on her nerve racked body.

The dreams still came, every night now and they'd just gotten worse over the last two days. Tomorrow would be Reid's birthday and Aubrey shuttered to think what would happen. The last four days had come and gone rather quickly. Aubrey had spoken with Caleb after he insisted on talking to her about the dreams.

_Flash back:_

_"I'm telling you they are more real than you can imagine. And every time it just gets worse. They've become so gruesome I don't want to sleep." Aubrey told him. She was sitting on the hood of Reid's camaro, the group gathered up on the cliffs over looking the dells. Reid was sitting behind her arms securely around her waist as if protecting her from the unknown force that haunted her._

_Sarah and Caleb stood arms around each other's waist, Kate and Pogue holding hands to the side and Tyler was leaning against the side of the camaro. _

_"Have you ever had dreams like this before?" Aubrey wanted to scream her lungs out at Caleb's question, but settled for glaring at him._

_"Are you trying to say I have repressed issues from when I was a child?" She growled._

_Caleb sighed. "All I'm saying..."_

_"All your saying...jesus none of you want to even ponder the fact that he might actually be coming back." Aubrey practically yelled. "If he comes and Reid dies, I'm gonna kill you." _

_Reid pulled her back since she was leaning intimidatingly towards Caleb. "She doesn't mean that." He said. "She's sleep deprived."_

_"No I mean it." Aubrey snarled._

_Caleb released a heavy sigh hanging his head. "I'll look into it."_

_Aubrey moved out of Reid's arms and carefully got off the hood of the camaro. "Oh you'll look into it. I feel so much better." She bit out sarcastically and walked away from the group._

_Reid started to go after her and Sarah stopped him. "Don't, I'll go." She said giving him a small smile._

_He sighed and looked at Caleb. "She's just sleep deprived, really I don't think she could hurt anyone."_

_Kate gave him a look. "You obviously don't know what a pissed off girl is capable of."_

_Kate followed after Sarah and they both caught up to the angry Aubrey who was quietly ranting into the empty air. "Aubrey I understand where you're coming from, but you really shouldn't take this out on Caleb."_

_Aubrey sighed and crouched down leaning back against a tree head looking to the sky. "I know." The tears started to come. "I'm just tired of waking up after seeing my boyfriend a bloody mess. One night it was a slashed out throat, the next his entire insides were outside. It was just so...bloody."_

_Sarah crouched down with her and put her arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry."_

_"That can't happen, Reid's my life. He's the biggest part of my world, I wouldn't be me without him." Aubrey said soft tears falling from her eyes._

_"I know what you mean. I can't imagine my life without Pogue." Kate murmured looking down at the two crouching girls. _

_Sarah nodded. "Me too. Caleb's my better half he makes me feel like I deserve the world." She added with a small smile._

_"See, so why is it so hard for them to accept that he might be back?" Aubrey said sniffling and bringing her head down._

_Kate knelt in front of her. "Cause he ruined so much and endangered to many years of a well kept secret, it terrifies them that it might not be over. That yet again they might end up being exposed because of him."_

_Aubrey inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "I get that, I do. But this is not some issue I repressed as a child. They need to accept that he's coming back or is back and they need to do something, before he goes after Reid or Tyler."_

_"And we will." The girls looked over to find all four standing a few steps away. Caleb stepped forward looking down at Aubrey and followed her eyes as she stood. "But we can't do anything till he reveals himself or his plan."_

_Aubrey nodded as Reid crept to her side putting his arms around her waist. "Yeah I was afraid you'd say that."_

_"From now on, the girls go nowhere without one of us." Pogue stated. "I don't trust him not to go after Kate and Sarah for revenge."_

_Caleb nodded his head in agreement. "Kate, Sarah, Aubrey Pogue's right you shouldn't go anywhere without one of us."_

_"We can't stick together twenty-four seven." Aubrey said._

_Reid smirked kissing at her neck. "I'll stick to you like white on rice."_

_The girls giggled. "That was the cheesiest thing I've ever heard you say Reid." Kate laughed walking over and standing next to Pogue._

_Sarah wrapped her arms around Caleb's waist resting her temple on his chest lightly. Aubrey looked over her shoulder at him and grinned. "Like white on Rice?"_

_"Yeah." Reid smirked._

_Aubrey shook her head. "You nut-case. Look, I'll agree that if we aren't at the school we should have one of you with us."_

_"Fine." The guys agreed with a nod._

_"Shit." Aubrey sighed. "How am I supposed to birthday shop for Reid if he's with me?"_

_"I'll take you." Tyler offered._

_Aubrey made a face. Sarah smiled. "How about just one afternoon you let us shop alone. There'll be four of us."_

_Caleb looked to Pogue who looked to Reid who shrugged and looked at Tyler. "I don't see how that could be a problem, I mean he can't really snatch all of you at the same time."_

_"Great we're agreed then, us girls we'll leave school early and go shopping for Reid on his birthday." Kate said. "Now can we please leave the creepy woods?"_

_The group collectively headed back to their cars._

_End Flash back_

When the water started to lose it's desired effect Aubrey shut the shower head off and grabbed her towel from her bag. She dried her body slightly and wrapped the towel loosely around her frame. Snagging her shower bag she made her way out of the stall, holding her pajamas in hand as she walked over to the mirrors. She placed her belongings on the counter and decided since she wasn't going back to sleep she would just get ready for classes. Aubrey brushed out her hair, noticing that her purple highlights were fading once again.

When her hair was tangle free she brushed her teeth and then headed out into the hall to go back to her dorm room.

Aubrey noticed that some of the swim team members were up and about, extra practice in the morning, for the swimmers that the coach wasn't fond of. With a soft giggle Aubrey went to Reid's dorm instead and knocked lightly.

The door opened to reveal and sleepy Tyler Simms in nothing but sweat pants and you could see the rim of his speedo. "Morning Aubrey." He said lightly with a smile.

"Having trouble?"

Tyler groaned. "Yes, he wont get up. Coach has been extra hard on us the last week, since Finals are coming up next month before spring break."

"Go. I'll get him up." Tyler grinned. "Don't look at me like that. I promise he wont be late."

"Uh huh, sure." Tyler laughed lightly grabbing a shirt from his desk chair and slipping it on. "Behave." He smirked grabbing his swim duffel and walking out the door leaving Aubrey to close it behind him.

She set her shower bag by Reid's desk and walked over to his bed. With a smirk she removed her towel and slowly lay herself under the covers with Reid. Reid mumbled under his breath and shifted in his sleep. Aubrey managed to get half of her body tucked under his lean frame and her hand came up playing over the shell of his ear slightly.

His face burrowed deeper in to his pillow and Aubrey giggled lightly. She rolled a little pressing her bare front against his exposed torso. Reid slept in boxers, most of the time. He mumbled something in to his pillow, his head turning slightly, face brushing against Aubrey's collarbone. "Reid, baby wake up." Aubrey said lightly.

"Fif mur mints." He muttered into her skin. Aubrey knew he wasn't anywhere near awake, but his hand was traveling up her side and she grinned.

"Reid wake up." She said in a more firm tone.

She felt the flutter of his lashes, before his head lifted slightly. Eyes squinted and he groaned. "You aren't Scarlett." He muttered.

Aubrey gasped an appalled grin on her face at the comment he'd made. She shoved him and moved to get out of the bed. "You jerk."

Reid chuckled lightly wrapping his arms securely around her waist pulling her back in to him. "I was kidding." He yawned.

"Well that wasn't funny." She said trying not to grin.

"I'm sorry." He murmured kissing the blade of her shoulder lightly. "This is a pleasant wake up."

"Yeah well..." Aubrey rolled towards him. "Mine wasn't."

Reid knew what she meant and moved in giving her a soft kiss. "I'm sorry Sweets."

"Me too." She yawned. "I don't want to go back to sleep."

"Well you could come watch practice." Reid offered quietly stroking her hair.

Aubrey gave him a small smile. "Hmm... I'd like that. I haven't been to a practice in a while now. Guess I gotta cheer you on."

"As long as your with me at my meets, I don't really care about practice." Reid told her surely.

"Is my extra uniform still in your closet?" Aubrey asked.

Reid nodded. "Yep."

"So what's been the talk in the locker room about me?" Aubrey asked standing unabashed about her nudity and went over to Reid's closet.

Knowingly Reid chuckled. "Abbot's made it well known what Nicky said the other night. Some guys are terrified to even check you out now, afraid Nicky will find out."

Aubrey giggled. "Really, didn't know they checked me out before."

"Of course they do." Reid stepped up behind her wrapping his arms around her bare body as she dug through his dresser drawer in search of panties to wear, she knew she'd left some there just in case. "Second drawer down Sweets. And they check you out because you're hot."

"Yeah, now." Aubrey murmured.

Reid kissed her shoulder as she proceeded to open the correct dresser. "They're shallow, but it doesn't matter you're mine they aren't allowed to touch you."

Aubrey giggled. "I didn't realized 'property of Reid' was tattooed on my ass."

"It's not but we could most certainly change that." He joked lightly his hands running down the front of her thighs.

"You wish." She pulled out a pair of brown with white polka dot panties and a matching bra. Reid moved his hands back up to her abdomen and pressed his lips lightly along her neck.

"Movie tonight?" Reid asked.

Aubrey slipped in to her panties and slipped the straps of her bra over her arms. Reid grabbed the fastening straps and did them up without being asked, since Aubrey had asked him on other occasions to do so. "Maybe." She said lightly turning around and looking at him. "Anything not gory playing right now? I honestly don't think I could stomach it right now."

Reid pulled her body close kissing her forehead. "How about we stay in then and play monopoly?" Aubrey giggled. He was trying to cheer her up and that was just what she needed. The mental image of Reid Garwin playing monopoly was just incredibly funny. "And if you run out of fake cash you can pay the banker with clothes." He grinned.

This made Aubrey full out laugh resting her forehead on his shoulder trying to catch her breath. Reid chuckled lightly, happy that he'd gotten her to laugh. She hadn't laughed like this is days. When Aubrey finally managed to get herself in control she looked up at him with the sweetest calmest smile. "You know that doesn't sound half bad. Don't forget the girls and I are going shopping today after classes." She said kissing him lightly and then letting him go and making her way to the closet to retrieve her uniform.

"Have I told you how uncomfortable I am with that idea? Chase still hasn't made a move and it really worries me. He should've done something by now." Reid said with concern.

Aubrey pulled her uniform from the closet and turned back to him as she headed back over to his bed to dress. "Yes, you've voiced that particular concern for two days now. It'll be fine he can't nap all of us together. Jack will be there, Sarah and Kate I think we'll be fine."

"Aubrey..."

"Reid I promise everything will be fine. Now you need to get to practice." Aubrey said looking over her shoulder at him and giving him the look that said it was final.

Reid groaned and made his way in to the bathroom. "I hate early practice he complained not even bothering to shut the door as he changed out of his boxers in to the speedo he had hanging over the towel bar.

Aubrey slipped on her white oxford shirt and began buttoning it with a quick roll of her eyes. "Yeah you joined the team though."

"Dad thinks it'll help me get in to college." Reid chuckled lightly making his way to his dresser and grabbing out a pair of sweats and a white shirt.

"You mean you haven't told them?" Aubrey asked.

Reid turned casting a glance over his shoulder at her as he put his pants on. "No. Dad thinks I applied to Boston U, Dartmouth, Princeton, Harvard, Brown and UCLA just for laughs, but I haven't told him I never sent in those applications."

"Reid, you have to tell them. I don't think they are going to be upset."

"You don't know my parents. They've eased up a lot with you around, but their still my parents. And as a Garwin I'm supposed to take my father's place in his business someday, but I just don't want that. He's going to be mad, so I'm waiting till graduation to tell him."

"Reid..."

"Aubrey please don't. I already know it's going to disappoint them that I'm not going to an actual school I don't want you disappointed that I'm taking my time to tell them." Reid said after slipping the shirt over his head. He slipped on his canvas chucks and turned towards her.

Aubrey moved forward, letting her untucked shirt hang over her plaid skirt. She lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek. "I'm not disappointed. Don't ever think that. I just think you need to talk to them about your plan. If they want whats best for you then they'll support you."

"I highly doubt they'll support me in this." Reid murmured kissing her hand lightly. "I have to go." He kissed her lips quickly and then grabbed his swim duffle from the floor and left the room.

Aubrey sighed and started to finish redying herself for school. After tucking in her shirt and putting on her sweater vest and tight she slipped her blazer on and grabbed her black ballet flats from Reid's closet. Upon looking inside she found his both his uniforms still hanging. Two uniforms was regulation at school, in case something should happen to one they always had a spare.

Sighing to herself with a smile Aubrey pulled the uniform from the closer and laid it out on the bed. She folded each piece careful not to cause many wrinkles and then slipped them in an old handle bag from pacsun that Tyler had sitting on his side of the room. She quickly brushed out her hair and used some of Tyler's hair gel to calm the frizzy curls before heading out of the room with the bag in hand.

Her school things were in her locker so she wouldn't have to worry about that. Making her way out of the dorms to the rec building Aubrey briskly walked to get out of the cool spring morning air.

Once inside the building she headed straight from the pool and found Reid warming up with the others.

"Reid!" She called walking in the door. Reid's head lifted and he smiled at her.

Aubrey gave him a playful grin holding up the bag and Reid jogged over around the other swim team members. "What's this? Kinky outfit for my birthday?" He joked lightly.

"No." Aubrey rolled her eyes and handed him the bag. "Your uniform that you forgot."

Reid looked inside to indeed find his uniform. "You in my uniform could be considered kinky so I was right." He whispered to her.

Aubrey shook her head but couldn't fight the smile playing on her lips. "Your coach is giving me the stink eye so I suggest you take your uniform and I'll go sit with Sarah over there." Aubrey pointed to Sarah who was indeed seated on the bleachers across from the boys.

Reid gave her a soft kiss. "Thanks."

"Welcome." She murmured and went to sit with Sarah.

"Morning." Sarah chimed brightly.

Aubrey smiled back. "Morning. Good night?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Not really." Aubrey muttered.

"The dream again?"

"Yeah."

Sarah sighed. "I wish I could say I sympathize but if it's really him he's gotten even crueler with you than he ever was with me. I had one nightmare about spiders and that was it."

"It's ok. I'm dealing with it. And let's face it tomorrows Reid's birthday and if he doesn't show, than maybe the dreams will stop."

Sarah nodded. "I know that's kind of what worries me and relieves me at the same time?"

"What do you mean?" Aubrey asked.

"Well, I really didn't know much about _them _until that dream caused me to do research. Ty's birthday is in May what if..." Sarah trailed off as a swim team member walked by them to the block.

"Worried about Jack?" Aubrey asked watching as the boys lined themselves up for a quick five lap dash.

Sarah looked over at Aubrey and nodded again. "Yeah."

"Me too." Aubrey said. They watched the four boys lined up on the blocks dive in to the pool at the sound of the coaches whistle and swim quickly down to the other end of the pool. This continued for a while.

That Afternoon:

"I don't know what to get him you guys." Aubrey said milling around the mall in Boston with Jack, Sarah and Kate at either side of her.

Kate looked over at her and grinned. "Get yourself something sexy and model it for him. I do that for Pogue."

"Oh ew Kate we don't need to know about your kinky bedroom behavior." Jack teased shoving her. The beautiful blond was fitting in well with the girls and Tyler was simply falling for her.

"What?" Kate laughed. "I'm just saying."

Aubrey shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Ok how about a watch. We all know that boy is never on time." Sarah joked.

"A watch wont help that." Kate concluded.

The girls tossed out random ideas for twenty minutes before taking a table in the food court and just sitting no shopping bags in hands only their purses. Aubrey sighed her head rested in her hand, elbow propped up by the table. "I think that lingerie is sounding better and better." She said defeated.

Aubrey was never good at buying gifts for Reid. The last few times had just been lucky, but now she was seriously out of ideas and nothing was jumping out at her screaming Reid.

"Wait what about getting him a book." Sarah said.

Aubrey laughed. "He's not Caleb Sarah."

"No, I mean a book like a scrapbook. You guys have tons of pictures we could help you scrounge up a scrapbook tonight."

"I don't really think Reid would appreciate that." Kate said lightly.

Aubrey nodded. Sarah huffed and gave them a playfully annoyed look. "He will if the last page is blank with a post-it that says something like 'I'll pose for you tonight.'"

Kate and Jack both grinned. "Oh my god that's perfect." Jack said and then looked at Aubrey.

"Guys..." She said pleadingly. "Come on I'm not sexy."

"Reid thinks you are and that's all that matters." Kate told her. "Now come on what else have we got. You'll do a scrapbook and buy some lingerie it's perfect."

Aubrey thought about her other options. Really she had none. This was a good idea she had to admit she was just wary. She told Reid she wouldn't dress up to turn him on and what was she doing, buying lingerie. Then something hit her, something she'd said to him. "I have a better idea." She grinned.

After they finished shopping for Reid's presents Aubrey and the girls decided to do a little shopping of their own and headed in to Macy's. "Aubrey that is so cute you have to try it on." Jack said shoving the dress in to her hands. It was a slinky black number and Aubrey thought it might be cute with some leggings and flats for a night out with Reid at some point so she headed in to the dressing rooms and switched her street attire for the expensive dress. When she looked up in the mirror she about screamed seeing none other than Chase standing behind her.

Chase wrapped his hand around her mouth turning her around and slamming her against the mirror. "Aubrey you alright in there?" Kate called from outside the room.

Aubrey watched horrified as he smirked. "I'm fine, just stumbled in to the wall." He spoke, but in Aubrey's voice.

"Ok, well Sarah, Jack and I are going up to the second floor Sarah needs some new towels. Text us when you come out and we'll tell you where we are."

"Ok." Chase said still with Aubrey's voice. They heard Kate's steps fade away and Aubrey began to struggle against Chase's hold. He chuckled mirthlessly. "Little red riding hood cried wolf and alerted the fag four to my presence. This was the only time I could snag little red." He said in his own voice. Aubrey bit in to his hand and he cried out releasing her mouth. "You bitch." He hissed.

Aubrey tried to get around him but he just slammed her back in to the mirror, the glass cracking under the pressure. "What do you want?" She bit out.

Chase grinned and laughed again no joy in it at all, just evil. "I want power. I want youth and I'm going to get that from Reid."

"No." Aubrey shook her head angry tears leaking from her eyes.

"Yes." Chase leaned close his lips just centimeters from her own. "You know you're really something. I honestly believed you and Reid were through, I could've used you to get to him and bided my time instead of going after Caleb, who I will give credit to is strong, not as strong as me let's face it I'm still here. But he his stronger than Reid. Reid's weak."

Aubrey pushed against him but he didn't budge. "He is not weak."

"Feisty. I like that." He moved in to kiss her and Aubrey turned her head.

"Not in a million years." Aubrey growled. He grabbed her chin forcing her to face him and he pressed his lips on hers forcefully.

Aubrey was repulsed as he forced his tongue into her mouth. She bit down and he jumped back growling at her. "Wrong move." With a lightning fast reflex Aubrey had never seen her lunged forward grabbing her by the throat and her eyes closed for a split second and when they opened they were in what looked to be an old abandoned house. "Like my new digs." He dropped her to the floor and Aubrey gasped for breath crawling to get away from him. "Yeah it's nothing like the rich Spencer dorms but it's homey." He bit out in evil sarcasm.

"They'll..." Chase shoved her sidekick under her nose and growled deep in his throat.

"Text the girls, tell them something came up and you had to leave." He said angrily.

"No." Aubrey defied.

Chase laughed viciously. "No? No? Seriously you told me no. I can skin you alive and you said no?" He stood kicking her in the ribs making her roll and fall to her back with a cry of pain. She definitely felt something crack. It hurt so bad. "Do it." He snapped shoving the phone in to her hand.

"No." Aubrey murmured in pain.

"You really are a glutton for punishment aren't you Aubrey Higgins?" He said an evil glint in his eye as a smirk formed on his lips, he hovered over her and watched her. Aubrey breathed heavily from the pain. "How about this...Either you do it and I strap you down to a chair or you make me do it and I strap you to my bed and punish you in a more _physical_ manor." He growled and he sounded almost aroused at the idea.

Aubrey wanted to gag at even the thought. "Why aren't you doing it in the first place?" Aubrey tried rolling over and getting up but Chase kicked her shoulder and held her down crushing her torso in to the floor. Aubrey bit her lip not to cry out at the pain it was causing. When he kicked her shoulder it felt like something popped out of place.

"Mannerisms, it wont sound like you." Chase said casually. "Even I can't mimic text messages. Girls have their own code and guys are not privy to it." Aubrey scoffed and he stepped in to her shoulder harder. "Do it." He yelled.

"Alright, get off!" She cried out in pain.

Chase lifted his foot and Aubrey slowly gathered herself to her knees. "Almost a shame really, I was looking forward to spanking you. I still might." He grinned as Aubrey flipped the screen on her phone and began to text message the girls. "And don't even think about sending something to lover boy got it. I'll talk to him shortly, after you're _detained_." He smirked deviously and a shiver ran up Aubrey's spine casting a glance at him.

"There." She sent what she'd typed in and Chase snagged her phone. He flipped it open and searched.

When he read what she sent his eyes flashed fire bleeding to black anger evident when he spoke. "You stupid bitch." He growled. "You'll ruin the surprise!" It wasn't a joke it was pure evil.

He dropped the phone and smacked her across the face so hard when her head hit the floor she was out could. Chase lifted her up over his shoulder and carried her away, leaving the bright screen of the cell phone open on the floor.

_Girls,_

_Ran in to my brother had to go._

_Aubs_

AN: Hey all sorry about the delay. I knew exactly how I wanted this chapter to be, but unfortunately right now it's hard to sit on my bed with my laptop and not get serious back pain. My chiropractor said I need a desk so it's on order as well as a chair. My back is seriously jacked from my accident so chapters are taking a lot longer to write since I can't stand to sit for very long anymore. Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope everyones sticking with me. Please review I love hearing from you guys even though my chapters are taking forever to come out. I haven't forgotten the story I swear. Let me know what you think about the turn of events! ; D


	21. It's Not OK

Chapter 20: It's not Ok

Same Day:

With the Girls:

Sarah was laughing at Jack for putting a pot on her head and dancing around singing I'm a little teapot when her phone started going off. And like the domino effect, Jack's went off and the distinct sound of Kate's ringer went off one aisle over. Sarah flipper her cell phone open to find a text message from Aubrey.

_Girls,_

_Ran in to my brother had to go._

_Aubs_

Jack frowned at her phone. "I didn't know Aubrey had a brother." Kate came around the aisle a panicked look on her face.

"She doesn't." Sarah and Kate replied. Sarah grabbed Jack's hand and they started running for the escalators.

"What's going on?" Jack asked frantically.

"Just come on." Sarah pulled her on to the escalator and they impatiently waited for the steps to get down to the main level. Once there Sarah and Kate dragged Jack back to the women's dressing rooms.

"Miss." Kate scared the girl attendant. "My friend, um well please open that door just down there."

"I'm not allowed..."

"Just do it." Sarah cried out.

The girl scrambled down the hall Sarah, Kate, and Jack in tow. The girl fumbled with the door lock for a moment before pushing it open. There was nothing but Aubrey's street clothes on the floor with her shoes and her purse.

Sarah quickly gathered Aubrey's things and they started to leave. "But I...she never left." The attendant spoke looking around the room. Sarah, Kate and a very confused Jack left the dressing rooms.

As they started through the mall Sarah handed Kate Aubrey's things and pulled out her cell phone. "What's going on?" Jack asked as she frantically tried to keep up with them through the mall now. They didn't respond since Sarah was desperately dialing Caleb's number. Jack stopped and Sarah and Kate turned and looked at her.

"Come on what are you doing?" Kate said panicked.

"Not until one of you tells me what the hell is going on? What's with Aubrey's disappearing act?" Jack said a bit worriedly.

Sarah sighed when she heard Caleb's voice-mail. "Look Jack we can't tell you right now, but please can we go." Kate insisted.

Jack shook her head. "I don't understand. Why can't you tell me? Where's Aubrey? Why are you so worried about this brother thing?"

"Look all we can tell you is Aubrey doesn't have a brother." Kate insisted as Sarah finally cried out in relief.

"Pogue! Is Caleb there? His phone is off." Sarah said. "Thanks."

Jack sighed. Kate sighed too and took a step closer to her. "Jack please, just come with us."

"Caleb Aubrey's gone." Jack looked over at Sarah even more alarmed at why she was calling to tell Caleb and not the police. "Yeah, we're coming, Jack is just really upset and confused and I can't blame her."

"Can't blame me. Guys our friend is missing and the first thing you do is call your boyfriend? What is wrong with you? If you're so worried call the police!" Jack exclaimed.

Sarah shook her head lightly and continued talking to Caleb. "Yeah, well wouldn't you freak out a little." She mumbled in to the phone. "Really? Are you sure?"

Kate looked at Sarah when Sarah's head lifted looking at her almost stunned. "What?" Jack asked.

Sarah nodded her head mutely. "Yeah. Look, just get a hold of Reid and let him know. I love you." She said lightly. "I know." With that Sarah ended the call. She looked up at Jack and bit her lip. "Look Jack we can tell you what's going on, but we can't do it here. We need to get back to Ipswich."

"I'm not going anywhere." Jack said stubbornly. "In fact if you aren't calling the cops I am." She pulled her cell from her pocket and Sarah snatched it away from her.

"Jack you can't do that. Please just trust us will you?" Jack looked in to her eyes and saw the truth that was held there and she nodded.

"Fine." Sarah nodded and the three headed for the parking lot quickly making their way to Kate's BMW. They got in and as soon as they were on the road back to Ipswich Jack spoke up. "Ok what's going on?"

Kate looked at Sarah. "Might as well tell her the whole story."

Sarah nodded.

With Caleb & Pogue:

Caleb sighed his face in his hands as he stared at his phone on the table. "How am I going to tell him?" He asked lightly.

Pogue shook his head. "I don't know man, but you have to."

"This isn't fair. To any of us. I don't know why Chase seems to think we oh him a god damn thing. We didn't even know he existed!" Caleb growled in frustration.

Pogue patted his shoulder. "I know man. I know."

"Now I have to call and tell Reid that the girl he loves more than anything in this god forsaken hole is in the hands of a crazed power hungry lunatic. This is different for him then it was with me and Sarah. I liked Sarah a lot, I wasn't in love with her yet." Caleb dropped his head back on the back of the wooden chair.

Pogue nodded. "I know man." Caleb lifted his head up and looked back at the pool tables. The guys were having a nice time waiting for the girls to get back to Boston. It was a rare night lately that Caleb and Reid weren't arguing about Reid's ascension. Caleb was really proud of the way Reid's little missuses of the Power had come to a stand still since the Fall Fest. But he didn't know how Reid was going to take this information.

Standing his silently made his way through the crowed, looking as though he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Hey Danvers, come to let me kick your ass in pool?" Reid smirked.

Caleb looked up at him clutching his phone tightly in his hand his other nervously reaching up to run through his dark hair. "Reid we have to talk." He said and nodded his head towards the back door. Caleb waited for Reid to set his pool queue down and then followed him out of the back door of Nicky's.

"What's up? I swear if you felt something it wasn't me." Reid said.

Caleb sighed shaking his head no as Reid turned around to face him. "No. Aubrey's..." He paused.

"Aubrey's what?" Reid asked impatiently.

"Chase has her. Or so we think. She disappeared from the changing rooms and her stuff was still there..."

"That doesn't mean that sick bastard has her. Maybe..." Reid stopped. There was nothing that could explain this. Aubrey would never just disappear.

With Aubrey:

Her head began to throb with every beat of her heart. It was just pounding in her ears as she slowly rejoined the world of consciousness. Aubrey tried to moved her hand down to rub her aching temples but she found them restrained. Eyes slowly peeling open she looked back over her shoulder to find her hand bound to a bed post. Frantically she looked to the other to find it the same way. When she tried to kick her legs she found them tied down as well.

"Shit!" She yelled regretting it immediately when her head throbbed even more.

"Awe awake I see." She lifted her head up enough from the bed to see Chase, camcorder in had. "Gotta say I didn't expect to find polka dot panties under that dress."

Aubrey's eyes frantically shifted down and saw that a sheet was haphazardly draped over her abdomen exposing her lower half and her upper torso. Her bra and panties exposed, feet bare the dress she'd previously been trying on in the store no where in sight. "Where the hell are my clothes?"

"I didn't think it was right you stealing that dress so I poofed it back to the store." He said like the smart-ass he is. "Now, you are going to tell Reid how scared you are." He held up the camera standing from the rickety chair in the corner and walking towards her holding the camera up. "...And action!" He said sardonically.

Aubrey sneered at him turning her head away from the lense of the camcorder. "Fuck you asshole."

Chase dropped his arm that held the camcorder and tutted at her. "Wrong again." He said.

A burning pain ripped through the skin of Aubrey's wrist and she screamed then clenched her mouth shut as she looked up finding her wrist bleeding. Looking back at Chase he grinned holding up the camcorder.

"Now let's try this again." He said and smirked as the red light on the camcorder switched on indicating it now recording. "Action."

Aubrey glared at him. "Piss off asshole." She growled. Aubrey knew she'd have to suffer the consequences for defying him, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to make him using her easier. He was only using her to get Reid and the more she defied him the more he was upset with her and the more time he spent abusing her. This would hopefully give the others time to figure something out. After all the text message was a dead give away that something was wrong. Aubrey had no brother.

"You know I really hate to mare beautiful skin such as yours, but I will. Now cry, beg him to save you." Chase snapped.

Aubrey shook her head at him and grinned. "Not a chance in hell you scum sucking..." Another scream tore from her lips as her other wrist burned with pain. "Eat shit!" She yelled at him after catching her breath, both wrists now bleeding mildly. The cuts didn't seem deep enough to bleed out and kill her, Chase was only trying to make her do what he wanted. If he killed her his bargaining chip was gone.

"You know I didn't think we'd be doing this the hard way, but hell I'm game." He moved from the end of the bed up on to the mattress between her legs and straddled her thighs to the bed. Chase set the camcorder down at her side and leaned down over her a malicious look in his eyes. "How about I just take what Blondie hasn't claimed yet." He said it so vindictively his lips hovering just above hers.

Aubrey struggled to throw him off or at least away from her body. "Not a chance." She yelled.

Chase smirked. "What are you going to do to stop me?" Aubrey looked away from him.

With Reid:

Reid was now pacing in the Danvers living room. His fellow covenant brothers with him in the room. Sarah and Kate had finally come back with Jack in tow. Jack upon seeing Tyler had shyly told him she knew now, needless to say Tyler felt his heart stop. When she looked up at him her eyes full of care he let in a shuttering breath as she told him it didn't matter she still truly cared for him and this was just another side to him. 'We all have secrets.' Jack had murmured when he'd wrapped her in his arms.

"This is bad." Jack said lightly.

"It isn't just fucking bad Jack! It's catastrophic! Don't you get it, if I don't give him my powers Aubrey's dead!" Reid was on his last nerve. He would've blown up at anyone right then. Unfortunately he blew up at Jack and this put Tyler in the defensive.

"Reid, she didn't mean anything by it! Calm the fuck down! I know you're upset, but please just be helpful instead of spiteful." Tyler said calmly as he stood up in front of his pacing friend stopping him from moving.

Reid took and breath and sighed looking over Tyler's shoulder at Jack. "I'm sorry."

Jack who'd been hanging her head since the comment looked up and offered a small smile. "It's ok. I understand."

"No it's not. I just...Aubrey and I have been through so much already this isn't fair." Reid flopped himself down on the couch and dropped his head in to his hands. "If he kills her what am I going to tell Nicky?"

"Nothing, cause we aren't going to let him kill her Reid." Caleb told him seriously. "Whatever happens this time he's not going to survive, even if we have to put a bullet between his eyes." Everyones gaze fell on Caleb, they'd never heard such words come from him. He was normally a guy who didn't like violence. But it was understandable Chase was threatening everything, their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

"If you want, that can be arranged." Jack said lightly. Now everyone turned to her questioning gazes on their faces. "I used to be on a rifle team." Jack said shyly.

"No, you are not getting involved in this." Tyler stated authoritatively.

"Ty's right Jack, you can't be involved. It's to dangerous." Caleb told her trying to be kind.

Jack nodded her head. "I was just offering."

"Look sitting here is not helping get Aubrey back, we have to do something." Reid said standing up impatiently. The front door could be heard opening and closing the sound of high heels clicking on the marble flooring of the foyer.

"Caleb?" Caleb stood as his mother walked in to the living room. "Oh hello boys, Sarah, Kate and you must be Jack Tyler's girlfriend." Evelyn Danvers had been slowly progressing over the last few months and was looking better for it. Her face was brighter, more color and less wrinkles if possible. Her drinking was less frequent and she'd put herself in to some activities with her fellow covenant mothers.

Jack shyly smiled at her and nodded. "Nice to meet you." She said lightly.

Evelyn offered a kind smile in return. "You too dear. Caleb this came for Reid in the mail." Evelyn handed Caleb the yellow package singly addressed to Reid no return address anywhere in sight. Reid stood walking over and grabbing it quickly. He stared at the package unmoving and Evelyn began to worry. "Boys is something wrong?" She questioned.

Reid tore the package and pulled out the contents a small recorded DVD disk. Written on it was 'Reid' in scratchy writing. "Mother Chase is back, he's taken Aubrey." Caleb told her as Reid maid his way in to the entertainment room next door to the living room and over to the DVD player. He slipped the disk in to the space and turned the TV on as it began to play. The other slowly filed in to the room to see what Reid was seeing.

_Video:_

_"Hello Blondie! Long time no see." Chase's face appeared on the screen. "I've got to say out of the four of you, I kind of miss you the most. Yeah see you know how to have fun with your power, like me. And that makes us the same. I mean almost the same, see you're on your way to addiction and I am already addicted. Unfortunately only one of us can surpass this little blip, so to speak._

_"And I'm feeling quite confident this time around." The camera shifted so you saw Aubrey out cold tied to a four post bed. "See I've got this little insurance policy. She's quite a handful though rather defiant. Had to tie her up. She looks like she'd bee a lot of fun to play with though, I'm having a very_ hard _time resisting. Now I know why you kept her for yourself Garwin."_

_Aubrey began to steer. "Shit." _

_"Awe awake I see. Gotta say I didn't expect to find polka dot panties under that dress." _

_"Where the hell are my clothes?" Aubrey questioned_

_"I didn't think it was right you stealing that dress so I poofed it back to the store. Now, you are going to tell Reid how scared you are...And Action."_

_Aubrey looked away from the camera. "Fuck you asshole." The camera cut off for a second and then came back on._

_"Now lets try this again. Action."_

_"Piss off asshole." _

The cut on her wrist not going unnoticed by the viewers.

_""You know I really hate to mare beautiful skin such as yours, but I will. Now cry, beg him to save you."_

_Aubrey shook her head at him and grinned. "Not a chance in hell you scum sucking..." Another scream tore from her lips as her other wrist burned with pain. "Eat shit!" She yelled at him after catching her breath, both wrists now bleeding mildly._

_"You know I didn't think we'd be doing this the hard way, but hell I'm game." The camera view positioned directly over Aubrey now._

The watchers knowing exactly where Chase had to be to get that shot.

_"How about I just take what Blondie hasn't claimed yet?" He said viciously._

_Aubrey began to struggle to throw him off. "Not a chance." She yelled at him._

_"What are you going to do to stop me?" Aubrey looked away from him and the camera cut off._

_End Video_

Reid was fuming angry, but he was also feeling pride. Pride for the fact that Aubrey wasn't letting him scare her, she was being strong. But he could see in her eyes the fear that was held there. She was only putting on an act. And he wanted nothing more then to go to her and save her. He walked over of the room directly over to a clear wall in the living room and with a loud yell of outrage put his hand clear through the wall.

Sarah, Kate and Jack came running in frantically making sure he was alright and taking his hand out of the wall.

Sarah looked up and saw the angry tears gathering in his eyes and her heart broke. Reid turned leaning back against the wall and sank to the floor. "Reid." She said softly kneeling down next to him. Reid buried his face in his arms rested upon his knees and she saw his body shake with tears. Sarah reached forward wrapping her arms around him, trying to calm him down. "Guys we have to fix this." Tyler said as he and the others came in to the living room once again. The girls now trying to console Reid.

Reid lifted his head, his eyes black as night and the tears leaking from them lick liquid black. "Reid you have to stop using." Kate said lightly. "Please for Aubrey."

He closed his eyes and when they reopened they were blue again. Jack stood turning to the three guys. "I want to help."

"You..." Tyler started.

Jack cut him off. "Yes I can. Get this guy in to a clearing and find me a hunting rifle for a long range shot and I can end his life."

"No." Tyler said sternly.

Jack stepped up to him. "Yes. That is the only way he is going to die for good. Obviously he's found a way to feed his power without this covenant, or he'd already be dead right?"

Caleb and Pogue both looked at Tyler and shrugged. "No, you just can't. You can't be involved in this. It's murder."

"It's executing a murder who will never be triaed by the justice system because he can get away with whatever he wants." Jack defended.

"She has a point." Caleb said lightly.

Tyler turned towards him. "You already said she can't be involved Caleb. I'm not risking exposing her to him. I can't I love her."

Jack gasped and Tyler's eyes went wide at his words. A small smile formed on her lips. "You love me?" She asked.

Tyler looked back over at her. "Yes."

"Ty I love you too, but if this is the only way to get rid of him for good, without losing Reid or Aubrey then it has to be done." Jack stated stepping up to him.

"But it's murder." Tyler stated. "How can you be ok with murder?"

"I'm not." Jack said lightly taking his hands in hers. "But if it's the only way..."

"It might not have to be. Maybe it'll be our back up plan. We'll get him in to a clearing and if we can't succeed on our own, we'll send Jack a signal. She'll be close by covered by trees and brush. He wont ever see her Ty. But hopefully we wont have to put that on her." Caleb said logically.

Jack looked from Caleb to Tyler her eyes soft. "Reid can't lose Aubrey, look." She said lightly then gestured to his upset friend, who was still being consoled by Kate and Sarah. Both rubbing his back and saying gentle words to him. "He's breaking down. If Aubrey dies, Reid wont last long. I believe their meant for each other and I'm willing to help protect that if need be."

Tyler looked at his friend, he'd never seen him so upset like this. Sure he'd been upset when Aubrey had been taken to Maine, but not like this. He'd never seen Reid cry. With a reluctant nod Tyler agreed. "Ok. But we need to plan this out, I don't want anything happening to you."

Jack smiled. "Ditto." She murmured kissing his cheek on tiptoes.

Caleb looked at Pogue. "We have till ten tomorrow night to perfect this plan, Reid ascends at Eleven twelve P.M. Chase will be coming for him then."

Pogue nodded. "We have to succeed this time."

"No matter what." Tyler put in looking back at his brothers.

Sarah and Kate finally managed to get Reid calm enough to stand up and took him to the kitchen for some water. The others following behind, they needed a plan. And tonight they'd plan, tomorrow hopefully all would go right.

AN: Hey all, so what do you think. Let me know if it's too much I might rewrite it. Also I made a msn live page. So I made it my homepage link, you can check out all my photo's and stuff there now cause I'm kind of sick of the clutter on my page. It was really starting to irk me. Anyways I really have to be getting ready for the chiropractor app. I have in 40 minutes. Later!


	22. Defeated Solider

Chapter 21: Defeated Solider

March 15th

11:12 a.m.:

Reid hadn't slept the entire night. He was sat at the kitchen table waiting for the other's to wake. At three a.m. Caleb and Pogue had told everyone to try and get some rest, they'd continue their planning in the morning. Sarah had tried several times to get Reid to go up to a guest room, but he wouldn't budge. The girls each gave him a sympathetic kiss on the cheek goodnight and went upstairs with their boyfriends.

In the early morning hours Reid had asked himself one question repeatedly. Would he give up his power to save Aubrey, the love of his life? And every time his conscience asked his heart answered with a yes. He knew he'd do anything to keep her alive and if it was the only way...

"You been awake all night man?" Tyler walked in to the kitchen and over to the coffee pot to find a batch freshly brewed.

Reid looked over at his best friend his brother and nodded. "Yeah. I can't sleep knowing Aubrey's in danger." He said lightly.

Tyler sighed. "Reid we'll fix this."

"Morning." The boys looked up to find Sarah and Kate walking in to the kitchen sleepily Caleb and Pogue close behind. Jack behind them.

"Happy birthday Reid." Sarah murmured and kissed his cheek lightly.

Reid looked away from his friends his tired gaze intent on the swirling black coffee in his mug. His thoughts on Aubrey and how she'd survived the night.

With Aubrey:

Aubrey had been up the whole night. She wouldn't dare fall asleep, with that maniac around. After he'd cut off the camera he'd left her alone pretty much. He hadn't done what he said he was going to do and Aubrey was thankful.

"Good morning sunshine!" He said sarcastically walking through the bedroom door. He dropped some clothes on the bed and started to untie Aubrey's ankles. "I'm offering peace. I retrieved some clothes from your dorm last night while you're roommate was asleep."

A little taken aback Aubrey nodded. "Thank you." She said lightly.

"And I'm going to untie you, but don't bother trying to run all the exits are sealed off." Chase informed her.

"Fine." Aubrey sighed. He was now untying her hands and she was thankful she could barely feel them, the blood had rushed completely down her arms. With a flash of fire and eyes bleeding to black Aubrey felt bandages appear around her wrists. She pulled her arms down and sat up rubbing lightly at the bandages.

"Tonights lover boys birthday. Looking forward to watching him die?" Chase smirked at her.

Aubrey scoffed. "And I thought you were finally growing a conscience."

"You and I are going to make a little phone call to wish Blondie a happy birthday." Chase pulled out her cell phone as she slipped the jeans and t-shirt on Chase had left at the end of the bed.

Looking up at him as he scrolled through her phone contacts Aubrey tried to look concerned. "Why are you doing this?" She asked him.

Chase's eyes lifted and met hers. "Why not?" He countered glaring at her.

"Because you're ruining lives." She told him with a heated glare of her own, giving up on being nice.

"So my life doesn't matter?" Chase snapped at her walking forward standing right in front of her. "I didn't get to grow up with others like me. I didn't have brother's or a father who could tell me the consequences of this _gift_ until it was already too late." He growled in her face.

Aubrey softened her eyes. "But that isn't there fault. I know if they'd known you existed they would've helped you. Fought for you!" She said sympathetically.

"If they hadn't have been stuck in their own lives they would've figured out the truth sooner." Chase yelled. "I lost the only people who cared about me the night I ascended, because we happened to be in the car at the time I was born. My father lost control of the vehicle and he and my mom died!"

Aubrey saw the regret flash in his eyes. Caleb and the other's had been under the impression that Chase had killed his adoptive parents on purpose, but now the truth was coming out. He hadn't meant for them to die, he hadn't known anything about his ascension until after he'd found his real father only a short time before he'd first appeared at Spencer. "But you can't blame them. They were children." She said lightly.

"The hell I can't!" Chase said bitterly. "I blame all of them, their families because they didn't figure it out sooner, because they believed my families bloodline to be dead and that was that. They washed their hands of the Putnam line and thought no more of it. How is that fair? Tell me how it's fair to turn away someone you call brother!"

"It's not fair. But it's also not fair to ask them to give up their lives to save you! It's not going to help anyways, the body wears down not the power!" Reid had told Aubrey everything and that meant she knew enough to defend them.

Chase laughed mirthlessly. "And yet here I am, still alive. But barely. My father's power is barely helping me sustain life." He said angrily walking towards her, Aubrey backed up in to a wall. She flinched as his face was so close to hers she could his breath against her lips. "Every time I look in the mirror I see the years taken from my life because of this power..."

"But they can help you through the addiction, if you just give them a chance." Aubrey practically pleaded. "It's not too late, it can't be."

"I'm dying from the inside out, I need more power to live." He just wasn't going to believe that power would only make it worse. The more power the more wear on the body.

"So what if Reid doesn't will you his power?" Aubrey asked looking over his shoulder away from his heated eyes.

Chase smirked evilly. "Let me put it this way. I have no regrets about murder." He whispered in her ear and then walked away.

Aubrey's eyes began to water and she sank to the floor as the rickety door shut with a creak to her left leaving her alone in the dingy, dust infested room.

With Reid:

His eyes were sore from lack of sleep, his body screamed in protest every time he moved and yet he was still doing so. He had to for Aubrey. He needed to know she was alive, that she was alright and he wanted to tell her he loved her, just in case something didn't go right that evening.

"So it's settled." Caleb looked over at Jack. "Reid will force Chase to meet at the ruins of Putnam barn, Jack will be set up at the forests edge ready in case one of us should give the signal." Caleb looked to Reid. "Two of us will distract Chase long enough for the other two to search for Aubrey. If he doesn't bring her we need to get as much information from him as possible so we can find her."

"Maybe we should report her missing." Kate said lightly.

Pogue glance up at his girlfriend. "And tell the police that the psycho ex friend of ours who was supposed dead in the Putnam barn fire has taken her and we don't know where she is. I don't think they'll believe us."

Kate sighed and nodded. Sarah was the only one paying much attention to Reid's behavior. His eyes were glued to the kitchen table and his body was rigid and tired. "Reid?" He didn't budge. "Reid?" Sarah tried again.

His eyes moved slowly up to meet hers.

Sarah offered a small reassuring smile. "Aubrey's fine. He wont hurt her."

Reid sighed and looked back down at the table. "Sarah's right. Chase needs her alive." Caleb told him sympathetically.

"I just...I need to hear her voice. I want to know she's ok. I need to know that he didn't..." Reid shuttered at the thought. He didn't know what to think after that video Chase had sent him.

As if on cue Reid's cell phone began to go off in his pocket. A small smile tugged at his lips hearing the ringtone he'd set for Aubrey. He'd gotten her to sing that song again and he'd recorded the chorus and made her voice his ringtone just for her. He grabbed the phone out of his pocket and saw her picture on the screen.

"Hello?" He answered carefully.

_"Hey buddy." _

"Chase." Reid growled.

_"Is that anyway to speak to an old friend?"_ Chase asked sarcastically. He sounded devious and humored by Reid's anger.

Reid snarled. "If you were an old friend maybe I'd be nicer."

_"I'm hurt."_ Chase spoke again sarcasm in his words. _"Look I just wanted to give you a call of good faith. Let you know your girl's still alive and tell you how everything is going to work..."_

"Look this is how it's going to go, you are going to meet me at Putnam barn five minutes prier to my ascension. When I see Aubrey alive we'll talk." Reid said sternly.

_"With the other's there, I don't think so."_ Chase laughed manically.

"Of course they'll be there, I want them there...in case...in case something happens to me and I want them to take care of Aubrey." Reid said sullenly looking down at the table again.

The other's were watching in silence as Reid spoke on the phone. _"Since I'm such a nice guy I'll agree to Tyler being there, but not the other two."_

Reid looked up at Tyler. "Why Tyler?"

_"He can't do anything to me, I may be weak from my battle with Caleb but I'm still twice as strong as little Baby boy."_ Chase said simply.

Looking from Tyler to Pogue and Caleb Reid nodded to himself. "Fine only Tyler, Pogue and Caleb will stay behind." Caleb moved to say something but Pogue stopped him with a shake of his head. "Now put Aubrey on the phone I want to talk to her."

With Aubrey:

Aubrey was watching as Chase told Reid that only Tyler was allowed at the meeting spot with them. Why she really didn't know. "Well, Reid, Aubrey's mouth's a little occupied at this moment." Chase smirked over at her his voice laced with something she wasn't quite certain of, but it wasn't good.

"You son of bitch!" Aubrey stood up from the wall and started towards him only to be thrown back in to the wall with a rather loud thud. She was just glad she hadn't gone through the sheet rock, it was old and had holes in it already, going through it could be dangerous.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch." Chase said in to the phone walking towards Aubrey. She was slumped on the floor breathing heavily from the impact with with wall. "I was only kidding." He held the phone out to her. "Two minutes." He said as she took it sitting up and he walked from the small grotesque room.

Aubrey brought the phone up to her ear. "Reid?" She said lightly.

_"Sweets. Are you ok?"_ She could hear how upset he was. He was close to if not already in tears. Reid Garwin did not cry, but she could hear the sadness and desperation in his voice.

"I'm ok for the most part. I'm scared as hell." She whispered in to the phone so Chase wouldn't hear, but he was probably bionic or something with his powers accessible to him. "Reid I tried to talk him out of it..." Aubrey started to cry lightly.

_"Baby he's addicted nothing matters to him now accept his own life." _Reid explained.

Aubrey choked back a sob. "Don't will him your powers Reid."

_"Aubs...it might be the only..."_

"No I don't care. If you do I will find some voodoo shit to bring you back to life and kill you myself. Don't you dare." Aubrey said a small chuckle could be heard on the other end of the phone. "I mean it Reid. Promise me?"

_"Sweets I just, I can't promise you that."_ Reid said sullenly.

Aubrey shook her head. "Yes you can, promise me?" The door to the room began to open.

With Reid:

"Sweets I..."

_"Alright, times up."_ He heard Chase through the receiver.

_"No wait, just one more minute. Just let me tell him..."_ Aubrey was full out crying now.

_"I said times up."_ Chase snapped at her.

Reid stood from the kitchen table chair he'd been sitting in. "Wait! Chase just let me..."

_"We'll be seeing you tonight five minutes to ascension time Reid. And remember I see Caleb and Pogue and Aubrey's dead." _Chase hung up. Reid pulled his phone away from his ear looking at it.

"Reid?" Caleb called his name, but Reid didn't move.

Sarah stood from her chair and walked to Reid reseting one hand on his shoulder as she pulled his cell out of his hand. "Reid, what did he say?" She asked gently.

His eyes shifted to hers. Blue locked on blue and tears welled in his eyes. "This can't be happening." He murmured dropping to the floor bringing his knees to his chest. Sarah dropped down beside him as Kate and Jack moved over to his other side comfortingly. "If Caleb and Pogue show Aubrey's dead, if I don't will him my powers Aubrey's dead. If I do I'm dead and Aubrey lives. Aubrey's damned if I do and damned if I don't. We both lose in either situation." He spoke lightly shaking his head.

If he willed Chase his powers Reid would die and leave Aubrey and if he didn't Aubrey would die. It wasn't fair in either scenario. "Well, we need to reconfigure the plan." Caleb said matter-oh-factly.

"No!" Reid shouted, startling the three girls comforting him. He stood up and leaned forward hands pressed in to the glossy dark wood of the kitchen table looking directly at his 'brother'. "If you show at all Aubrey's dead!"

"Reid, if we don't you both could end up dead. And he might even try to hurt Tyler if you leave him alone." Caleb defended.

Reid looked at him more serious than he ever had. "You don't understand Caleb! I will not let Aubrey die!"

Caleb stood and looked straight at Reid with the most sincere honesty in his eyes. "I wont let her die Reid! You have to trust me! You need to trust us! Your brothers! We are not going to lose anyone tonight not ever! It will end here and now!"

Looking straight at Caleb eyes unwavering for some time Reid nodded slightly. "Ok. But if something goes wrong, if something happens...to me..." He said softly. "Get Aubrey as far away as possible."

"Nothings going to happen to you Reid." Pogue and Tyler stood now looking to their blond friend and brother.

Tyler nodded in agreement with Pogue. "We wont let it."

"Ty you are going to be with Pogue looking for Aubrey. Since you haven't ascended yet I don't want you without one of us. Chase might attack you just to spite us for showing up. Reid it'll be you and me against Chase, you have to keep focused. You have to trust Pogue and Tyler to keep Aubrey safe."

Reid nodded to Caleb's plan. "Ok."

"Tonight Tyler and Reid will go to Putnam barn alone. Pogue and I will go there early this evening, we will be waiting. Chase won't show early like last time. He'll want to make you wait this time. Pogue and I will be in the woods, where Jack we'll be set up. Sarah and Kate will stay here."

"What?" Both girls exclaimed.

Pogue looked to the girls. "There's nothing you can do." He told them calmly.

"No, no way." Kate said shaking her head her furious glance on her boyfriend finger pointed at him. "You can't stop me from going mister."

"I can." Pogue stated looking directly back at her.

Kate glared something fierce at her boyfriend sending a shiver up his spine. "If god forbid something happen to Reid what about Aubrey? Hmm...she isn't going to turn to any of you. Sarah and I will go, we will stay with Jack."

"I hate saying this but she's right." Reid said lightly. "Aubrey wont turn to any of you for comfort, she'll run. Or she wont leave me and risk being in danger even more."

Caleb looked at Pogue and both looked at Sarah and Kate. "Fine." Caleb said. "But you two will stay put, unless Jack informs you somethings wrong. Chase will have no remorse in killing either of you."

"Fine then it's settled." Jack stepped up next to Tyler.

Reid looked over at Jack. "What kind of gun do you need?" He asked.

"Good scope, decent for a long distance shot." She told him. Reid nodded.

"Let's go to my place, my dad's gun cabinet's in his office. I have the codes in case of emergencies." He started to leave the kitchen and everyone followed.

Garwin Residence:

"Reid darling is that you!" Reid cursed as he walked in the door hearing his mother's voice.

"Son you've been out all night!" Randall Garwin walked in to the foyer to find Reid and his friends walking in to the house.

"Yeah dad sorry, something important came up." Reid told him lightly keeping his eyes down.

Randall looked at everyone and saw how worn down they looked. "Is something wrong?" He asked. Reid didn't answer so he turned his eyes on Caleb. "Caleb?"

Caleb looked up at the back of Reid's head then to Pogue and Tyler and then back to Randall. "Yes sir." He nodded turning his gaze away again.

Randall seemed to be calculating the problem when he realized one of them was missing, and another he didn't know was there. "Where's Aubrey?" He asked Reid. Reid looked up at him sullenly. "Reid is something wrong?" Reid remained mute. "Answer me Reid."

"Randall darling don't yell at him." Melinda scolded him walking in from the lush living room. She looked at her son. "Reid is there something you need to tell us?" She asked softly. Reid continued his silence. "Reid if somethings wrong you need to tell us."

"Chase has Aubrey." But it wasn't Reid who spoke it was Caleb.

Randall looked to the eldest boy. "The fifth son? I thought he died?" He questioned.

Caleb nodded. "So did we." He murmured.

Reid sighed and finally looked up at his parents. "Now he's back for my power and he took Aubrey. We've got a plan..."

"Your plans don't seem to be working so well." Randall said lightly. "This boy needs to be dealt with and soon, he's risking the entire world of the..." And as if suddenly realizing Randall's gaze dropped the Jack who stepped back into Tyler a bit frightened at the look on his face. "Does she know as well?"

Tyler nodded putting his arm around Jack's waist. "Yes sir, this is Jack my girlfriend and the girls had to tell her sir. She went a little haywire when Aubrey suddenly disappeared from the store dressing room and Kate and Sarah started to panic."

"What good is a covenant of silence if..." Randall started to rant.

"Randall darling, look at them." Melinda intoned to her husband. His speech was forgotten as he looked upon the teens. Sarah was held close to Caleb, Kate was under Pogue's arm protectively and Tyler was holding Jack back against his chest in a protective manor as well. All looked like they belonged. "It is obvious they are fated together, just like you and I were all those years ago. I believe in my heart the secret of the covenant will go with them to their grave." She said reassuringly.

Randall sighed and nodded and turned to look at Reid. Reid was clenching and relaxing his fists his gaze about to burn through the wall to his left. "Son, this boy is risking exposing everything..."

"Dad he has Aubrey! I don't give a flying rats ass about the covenant right now!" Reid snapped shoving passed his father down to the basement.

Caleb sighed. "Sir he's a bit on edge. Chase's methods have become more taunting then his previous ones. He isn't handling it well."

"What did she mean fated together?" Jack whispered to Tyler. Though it wasn't the time Tyler smiled and kissed her temple.

"I'll explain later." He whispered in her ear and Jack nodded.

"Maybe I should go talk with him." Melinda said to her husband.

Randall looked down at her. "With James gone I, I never was a good leader. I was better at being the second in command."

Melinda offered a reassuring smile. "Reid is a fighter, he's just upset you remember how down he was with Aubrey in Maine. She is his saving grave Randall, their hearts are forever bound by the love the carry for one another, without his other half he will become irrational and uncontrollable."

"I know." Randall offered lightly. "Go." He nodded towards the basement. Melinda went off in search of her son and left Randall with the others. "I'm sorry to all of you. With James gone things are..."

"Strange." Caleb offered.

Randall chuckled humorlessly scratching the back of his neck. "Yes, exactly. Imagine Caleb being gone, Pogue how would you feel?" Randall questioned.

Pogue looked around for a moment then shrugged. "Pretty lost I guess." He said. Caleb looked over at him and grinned. "Shut up man." Pogue standing tunring to look away from Caleb trying not to laugh.

"What I didn't say anything." Caleb said smugly.

The girls all rolled their eyes. Randall spoke again though. "Well it's easier letting someone else be the lead and just following. When you get use to that you don't exactly expect to be tossed in to the lead roll. James was my dearest friend but I would never ask for the lead in our generation."

"Hey if you were so close with Mr. Danvers how come Reid and Caleb barely get along?" Kate questioned.

Caleb sighed. "We get along, we just but heads occasionally." He muttered.

Randall grinned. "That Katherine is a question I can't even answer. Now about this Chase..."

"We've got a full proof plan sir." Caleb told him. "Either way it ends tonight."

"Should I be concerned?" Randall questioned.

Caleb looked at Pogue who then looked to Mr. Garwin. "We've got it under control. But we always know reinforcements are a phone call away."

"Good to hear, now how come you've found your way to our doorstep?"

With Reid:

After storming off Reid went down stairs, he found a vase full of flowers on a small table next to the door that Aubrey had insisted on putting there, something to set her keys and cell phone on when she came in. He picked up the vase and chucked it at the wall. Hearing the shattering glass didn't ease any of the fear and anger he was feeling at the moment. He needed Aubrey.

Aubrey kept him grounded. When the power started calling to him days ago, that pull trying to lure him into the depths of addiction his thoughts of Aubrey were all he needed to surpass those deadly voices in his head. Seeing her smile brought joy to him like no other, sure he liked to use to have a little fun, but he wouldn't be like James Danvers. He would not die a young man in an old mans body. He would not leave Aubrey. He would not do his duty as a son, produce an air and then die leaving Aubrey to become a widow.

He just would not do it and knowing he had her was all he needed to escape certain addiction. Several in the Garwin line had died of addiction. But when his father survived and for the first time in centuries a Danvers died of addiction Reid promised himself he would not be the downfall of his line. He would come out on top, like his father.

"Reid!" He looked up from where he now sat on the couch head in hands to his mother walking in the door to his basement living room. She walked towards him. "Your father means well."

Reid sighed. "I know, he's stepping up."

"He is. With James gone that means your father's in line to lead his brothers and you four. And when your sons are born he'll be able to rest soundly without having to worry. It's how it's always been Reid, but your father doesn't lead well, he panics." She said in a slightly joking manor making Reid's lips twitch at the corner but only briefly before settling back in to a frown.

"I know." Reid murmured looking down at the hard wood floors.

Melinda sat next to him resting her hand on his forearm with a soft sigh. "Talk to me Reid."

Reid looked over at her eyes and she saw the tears pooling there and that brought tears of her own to her own blues. "Mom I'm scared, for Aubrey, for myself, for the others." He said softly pushing the tears back.

Melinda nodded turning her sons face back to look at her own. "Believe in yourself and believe in the covenant the rest will fall in to place."

"I'd never forgive myself if something happened to Aubrey." Reid said lightly.

"Nothing will happen. Be the fighter I know you are, you will protect her." She insisted.

Reid reached out hugging his mother and burying his head in her neck letting the tears fall once again. Melinda let soft tears slide down her cheeks as she gently held her grown son in her arms running her fingers soothingly through his hair.

Upstairs:

Randall came back downstairs from his office holding a long sleek black case. "Are you sure you can handle yourself with this?" He asked stepping up to Jack.

She didn't cower away this time she stood her ground, straight like a solider. "Yes, sir."

AN: Ok so there's the update...What do you think? Let me know! I'm not going to complain tonight cause I'm actually having a really good day. My back is bugging me, but I'm not letting it get me down!I really liked how this chapter turned out! It's a bit character defining don't you think? Anyways hope you all like it and like I said let me know! Oh and just in case you're wondering I put the Elder son's order like this Danvers, Garwin, Parry, Simms...where as our boys are Danvers, Parry, Garwin, Simms. And I thought making Randall and James best friends like Pogue and Caleb was definitely different since Caleb and Reid usually but heads.


	23. It Ends Tonight

Chapter 22: It Ends Tonight

When Reid finally came back upstairs with Melinda it was nearing six thirty PM. The other's were in the dinning room, with Randall discussing the plan. "Reid, I am sorry." Randall said when he looked up seeing his son entering the dinning room with his wife.

Reid nodded. "It isn't your fault."

"It was insensitive of me though to worry first and foremost about the covenant, when clearly you were in turmoil about Aubrey." Reid just nodded mutely.

"We at least want to wish you happy birthday." Melinda told him. She was coming in to the dinning room from the kitchen door and she was holding a medium sized cake. "Aubrey and I ordered it last week, she was going to bring you here tonight to celebrate before your ascension." Melinda told him.

Reid swallowed thickly and looked at the cake. A smile turned the at the corner of his mouth. The cake was shaped like a pool table, billiards painted on the green fondant meant to be felt. Two small cue sticks rested flat the length of the cake. Also on the cake were small photos standing up by little clips sticking out of the cake. There was one of Reid eating cake as a toddler on his father's pool table, one of Reid and his parents in Venice when he was twelve. One of Reid and the guys their first day at Spencer. One of Reid and Aubrey trying to study at the kitchen table but his mother had insisted on a picture.

The last two caught Reid's attention the most though. The first was his parents with him and Aubrey at the Christmas eve dinner and Aubrey was so different than all of them, but she just fit. And the last picture was Aubrey and Reid that day at the riverwalk, when Aubrey was telling him all about her dinner with Nicky. Jack had taken the picture of them kissing and now it was on his birthday cake. It was the best cake he'd ever gotten.

"It was all Aubrey's idea." Melinda informed him with a small smile.

"It's awesome." Reid said lightly in thanks.

Randall stood and walked over to them setting his arm around Reid's shoulder. "We can celebrate another time?" He offered.

Reid's eyes moved from the cake to both his parents and then to his friends sitting around the table. It hurt so much that Aubrey wasn't there with her sweet smile and loving looks. He knew he should've gone with her, never let her out of his sight. But she was so sure everything would be ok that he could do nothing but agree with her and watch her drive away from the campus yesterday with the girls in search of his gift when really all he wanted or needed in this world was her.

"No, Aubrey would want us to celebrate now." Melinda smiled at her son and set the cake on the table. "But no song." He said letting a smirk appear on his face briefly.

Everyone laugh light-heartedly as Melinda began cutting in to the cake. When she cut the piece with the picture of Aubrey and Reid sticking out of it, Reid took that piece and went in to the kitchen and put it in the fridge, he and Aubrey would celebrate later. They would have a later because Reid wasn't going to give up so easily. Not without a fight.

With Aubrey:

"You know I never pictured you for the tattoo kind of girl." Chase said deviously as he tried to start conversation. He occasionally would glance at his watch and tell Aubrey just how long until they would be seeing Reid.

"Yeah well I didn't take you for a stark raving mad murdering lunatic, but hey looks can be deceiving." Aubrey bit out venomously.

Chase gave a bark of brief laughter. "You aren't fooling me with your tough girl act, underneath it all you're scared."

Aubrey looked up at him licked and then pursed her lips. "Maybe so, but you wont win. And I would rather die than let Reid will away his power."

"Ah but loverboy couldn't promise you that one thing." Chase said smugly.

"He didn't need to say it out loud, his heart was screaming it." Aubrey replied softly looking away from him and leaning back against the dank wall of the disgusting living room, or what she thought was the living room.

"He wouldn't let you die." Chase said certainly.

Aubrey just scoffed and didn't reply.

"You know your attitude is really starting to piss me off." Chase growled walking over to her and crouching down to her level. "You're not very entertaining."

"Sorry I left my Mary Poppins bag of tricks with my floating umbrella in my dorm room." Aubrey replied sarcastically. "I know why don't you show me a magic trick." She said with fake enthusiasm.

Chase growled at her. "I am not a magician." He snapped. "They are a complete disgrace to my kind."

Aubrey scoffed again. "Oh yeah I can see why. When they perform great illusions they don't get a gray hair." Aubrey winced when she felt the back of his hand come in contact with her cheek knocking her head to the side.

"Shut up." Chase growled.

Humorless giggles erupted from Aubrey's mouth. "You can only blame yourself for your death. Any normal person with abilities like yours would've aired on the side of caution, in case of a backlash but you, you used it and for what? To have fun? Well I hope the fun was worth it, cause you're going to die." Aubrey said her voice growing bitter.

Chase slapped her again. This time across the other cheek. "You don't know anything. Imagine being a young boy with powers to do anything..."

"Haven't you ever heard 'with great power comes great responsibility'?" Aubrey replied sardonically.

Chase snarled and stood up towering over her. "What the hell do you know?" He snapped.

"That you're a coward." Aubrey said evenly.

"What?" Chase leaned down grabbing her arm and dragging her to her feet.

"I said you're a coward. You're too afraid to ask for help, so you make demands instead." Aubrey said yanking her arm from his grasp.

Chase backed her in to a corner a evil glint in his eyes. "What will it take to shut you up?"

"You're the one who wanted to chat." Aubrey replied smirking at him.

A dark smile crossed Chase's lips and his eyes flashed fire before everything went dark for Aubrey for the second time in two days.

11:00 PM:

Caleb and Pogue were in place hidden behind some shrubbery just down the dirty road leading to the ruin sight of Putnam Barn. Kate, Sarah and Jack were at the woods edge just behind where the old barn use to be, waiting and ready.

Tyler and Reid we're in the hummer just driving up to the sight of old Putnam barn. "Ty?" Reid looked over at his friend, comrade, partner in crime and smiled slightly. "Thanks man."

"Don't say goodbye." Tyler told him. "You aren't dying tonight." With that Tyler got out of the drivers seat and headed around to the front of the Hummer. Reid climbed out and stood with him.

They stood their until seven minutes passed eight. "It's five minutes till." Reid said looking at his watch.

"I'm impressed, you follow directions well Garwin." Both looked over and saw Chase walking over. Reid took a step but stopped when Chase shook his head at him. He was carrying an unconscious Aubrey in his arms. Reid could see the bruises on her face and her bandaged wrists and he wanted to kill Chase with his bare hands.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Reid snarled.

Chase smirked and set Aubrey down on the ground and then stood in front of her. "She wouldn't keep her mouth shut, and normally while I'd find that pleasurable..."

"You son of a..." Tyler managed to grab Reid and pull him back before he flung himself at Chase.

Chase laughed evilly. "She's alive. Now it's up to you if she stays that way." He grinned murderously at Reid.

Reid glowered at him. "I'm not going to will you my powers Chase."

"Then she might as well die now and we'll just be doing this all over again when little baby boy ascends two months from now." Chase growled a knife appeared in his head and he began to kneel and turned towards Aubrey. "It's a shame really, she's quite magnificent in bed..." He trailed off trailing the knife along her arm.

When he pulled his arm back ready to thrust downward Reid panicked. "Wait, stop." Chase stopped the blade just inches from Aubrey's heart. "If you swear to leave the other's alone for good and never come back to Ipswich I'll...I'll give you what you want." Reid told him. Chase stood the knife disappearing from his hand as he turned around to face the two boys again.

Tyler was staring at Reid in shock. "I knew you wouldn't let her die." Chase said smugly.

"But you have to agree, you'll never come back." Reid said adamantly stepping towards Chase closing some of the distance between them. "You'll never touch Aubrey again and I'll give you what you want, what you deserve."

"FINALLY! One of you sees things my way." Chase said a bit dramatically as he took the last few steps towards Reid.

Reid sighed. "I don't have much of a choice."

"Fifteen seconds blondie." Chase smirked.

"Will it hurt?" Reid questioned looking at him.

Chase grinned. "Like a son of a bitch." He told him sarcastically and then from the skies that had been covered in dark clouds and rumbling with thunder a bright blue streak of lightning hit Reid square in the chest.

It lifted him in to the air wreathing in pain as he clenched his mouth shut, trying not to yell out. His fists clenched tightly shut, his body tense as the power began chorus through his veins, back arched in pain. After nearly thirty seconds Reid's head fell back and he let out a trembling cry of agony before the lightning disappeared back in to the clouds and Reid's body dematerialized in little shocks of electricity as it fell back to the ground. When his knees hit the ground his body materialized.

"Well what a show! I must say you were a lot less entertaining then Caleb was. I thought he was going to cry for his mommy." Chase smirked his eyes now black as coal. Reid was breathing heavily from the assault on his body and silent. "Now just a few simple words..."

"Chase!" Chase's attention was drawn from the weak blond to a very familiar son.

Chase snarled. "Caleb, Pogue." Caleb managed a confident grin as he launched a energy orb at Chase. Chase wasn't quick enough to deflect it in time and went soaring back in the burned ground of old Putnam barn. "Now that wasn't fair." Chase stood sending back three of his own, each one heading for the three standing brothers. Reid was still on his knees momentarily weak from his ascension. He saw Aubrey unguarded and began crawling towards her trying to stay unnoticed by Chase.

"This ends now Chase!" Caleb yelled sending Chase's orbs back at him. Tyler was with Pogue both eyes black as night behind Caleb.

"You tried ending it last time, but here I am." Chase bit back sarcastically and then his attention landed on Reid trying to make his way to Aubrey. "No!" He yelled.

Before Reid could reached Aubrey her body vaporized and he looked up and saw her reappear laying on the ground at Chase's feet. He looked over his shoulder and saw Caleb creating a large energy blast and held up his arm weakly. "Wait, Caleb he has Aubrey!" He yelled over his shoulder.

Caleb collapsed the energy ball between his fists and it disappeared.

Chase smirked. "Blondie wills me his powers or she dies!" Aubrey's body began to lift from the ground, hair floating in the breeze almost serene until Chase leaned down and whispered something in her ear and her eyes jolted open and her hands began to reach for her throat like she couldn't breath.

"No, don't kill her." Reid stood looking at Aubrey tears gathering in his eyes. "I'll do it."

"Reid?" Caleb hissed behind him.

"No Caleb. Aubrey can't die because of me. She's already been through too much." Reid turned to his brothers. "I'm sorry."

"Reid don't do this." Pogue yelled at him. "It's not the only option."

"Yes it is Reid. Aubrey's running out of oxygen." Chase said vindictively.

Aubrey was struggling, agonizing gasps for oxygen apparent from their distance away. "Just let her go Chase." Reid yelled. "And I'll give you what you want."

Chase looked down at her and up at Reid who was in tears. He smirked looking down at Aubrey again. "One last thing." He said loudly enough for Reid to hear as his eyes black flicked up menacingly at Reid's. "You broke the rules." And with a flick of his arm Aubrey went sailing to his right straight in to an large tree. Reid watched horrified and then Chase appeared in front of him grabbing him by the throat. "Now say it. I."

Reid glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Aubrey struggling to sit up and then she collapsed to the ground. That wasn't what he wanted, that hadn't been his deal. "I." Reid repeated meekly.

"Will." Chase continued viciously. The winds began to pick up around them, the voices of his brothers yelling at him not to do this, were becoming distant as his vision began to blur from lack of oxygen.

"Will." Reid mimicked.

"You."

"You." One final blurry glance from the corner of his eye at his unconcious girlfriend and anger began to bubble deep within him, an anger he'd never felt before. Sure he'd been angry with Aaron many a time and sometimes Caleb but there was nothing he could compare this anger to his life. Nothing.

"My power." Chase coerced.

Reid snarled letting his power build up inside of him and pried Chase's hand from his neck. "Fuck you asshole." He muttered and then punched Chase square in the face sending him back thirty feet away.

With Aubrey:

"Aubrey wakey, wakey. It's time for some fun." His malicious voice whispered in her and then it was like her airways were cut off. Aubrey couldn't breath and her hands came up to find nothing around her throat as her eyes snapped open looking up at him. Chase's eyes were dead set on something. Aubrey realized as she looked over that something was Reid. He looked so lost, so hurt as he stood up from his knees. Aubrey barely heard the guys yelling over the whipping winds, but she saw Reid's mouth form words and though she was desperately gasping for oxygen she knew what he was offering.

He was trying to save her life. Aubrey desperately wanted to scream at him not to. "One last thing." Aubrey's eyes moved to Chase's and he smirked looking up at Reid. "You broke the rules." He said loudly.

And then without warning Aubrey found herself flung through the air into the base of a tree trunk. Her left side hit the tree with such force she could've sworn she felt something that was already cracked, snap like a small twig. A small gasp of agony escaped her. Her breathing was uneven and shallow, wincing at the pain chorusing through her body now.

Aubrey kept telling herself to roll over and get up. But every time she tried to stand her body would give out. When she finally collapsed to the ground, her head turned towards the old Putnam barn sight she saw Reid held at the throat by Chase, his brother watching from behind them a ways away, nothing they could do.

A tear slipped from her eye as her body fell into blackness once again.

-

_"Aubrey?" Aubrey groaned groggily as she got to her feet. Looking around she was in a meadow, that was blooming over with millions of beautiful flowers. She circled around wondering if she'd died and gone to some limbo. "Aubrey?" Her head turned towards that beautiful voice and she looked upon a woman she never thought she'd see again._

_"Mom?" She croaked. The beautiful woman with Auburn hair and brown eyes, her skin softly pale like her daughters nodded. Aubrey rain through the tall grasses of the meadow and jumped in to her mother's arm. "Oh mom." She said tears streaming down her cheeks._

_"Oh Aubrey I've missed you so much darling girl." Moreen said holding her daughter in her arms and kissing her temple as her hand ran over her hair comfortingly._

_Aubrey pulled back looking at her mother almost scared. "Am I dead?" She asked softly._

_Moreen smiled and shook her head. "No. You are lost, I have been sent to take you back."_

_"Back?" Aubrey asked._

_"Back home. You aren't meant to die yet Aubrey. You must fight." Moreen told her._

_Aubrey shook her head. "But I want to stay with you. There's so many things I want to tell you, ask you."_

_"I know darling and I wish we could have the time, but there isn't much time. You must prove to Reid there is still something to fight for. He's distraught at the thought of losing you and is losing in his battle." Moreen told her._

_Aubrey thought of Reid, how could she have forgotten so quickly. "Reid." She said softly and then looked up at her mother. "Reid, mom I love him."_

_"I know darling. Now you need to go back, show him to fight."_

_"But mom..."_

_"Aubrey, sweetheart I've been watching over you ever since that day, and I will continue to watch over you. But you must go, now!" Moreen told her with a smile._

_Aubrey cried. "But how?" She asked sadly._

_"Just imagine a place you want to be."_

_"But it's so peaceful here." Aubrey said looking around._

_"But he needs you. His love will bring you both peace." Moreen whispered hugging her daughter one last time. Aubrey's thought were solely on Reid and how much she loved him and everything began to fade away around her. _

_"I love you mom." Aubrey whispered._

_"I love you my sweet darling Aubrey."_

_-_

Aubrey's eyes fluttered open and the sounds of the battle came back to her. A small smile lifted her lips, but only briefly as she began to feel the pain in her body once again. _Get up._ She ordered herself silently. _Get up._ She kept repeating those words in her mind. When she stood albeit with the trees help, since she was certain her ankle had twisted nastily upon impact with the tree she saw that Chase had Reid down on the ground, Pogue and Tyler were tossed like ragdolls into the windshield of the Hummer and Caleb was laying on the ground unconscious.

Aubrey began to walk, hobble, unsteadily towards Chase and Reid. "Will it to me now!" Chase demanded he stomped on Reid's chest, possibly breaking a few ribs while doing so.

"Fuck you asshole." Reid yelled.

"Reid!"

With Reid:

His brother's had come to his aid the moment he fought back. It was a harsh battle, that cause serious damage to the three young men. Chase had completely knocked Caleb out, and Reid himself was worn down from the over use of his powers. Pogue and Tyler were still standing, but Chase wasn't going to be taking that.

With a swift motion of his arm Tyler and Pogue both went flying back into the windshield of the Hummer, the glass shattering around the battered bodies. Reid knew they couldn't take much more of the abuse cause neither could he. His legs came out from under him and he landed on his back, Chase hovering over him.

What more did he have to fight for, Aubrey was dead, she hadn't moved since she'd collapsed eight and a half minutes ago, with her previous lack of oxygen it was unlikely she was alive. All he had to do was will away his power, his gift, his curse and he could spend eternity with his love. His Aubrey.

"Will it to me now!" Chase yelled demandingly. His foot connected with Reid's ribs and the younger boy howled in agony as he felt something snap.

Reid would not give it that easily though, if he was going to die he wasn't going to do it lying down. "Fuck you asshole." Reid yelled.

"Reid!" His watery eyes turned to that melodic voice. Aubrey was moving, slowly, achingly towards them. Her arm was clutched to her torso as if she had broken ribs and she was hobbling.

"Aubrey, stay back!" Reid yelled. Now he had to get up. Aubrey was alive, Chase couldn't kill her, he couldn't. Reid wouldn't let him kill her. If anyone would die it would be Reid, or Chase. Or both. Not Aubrey.

"Reid! Get your ass up!" Aubrey yelled at him still heading in there direction. Reid watched Chase's eyes turn on her. "He's weak and you're not. You're a fighter, fight for me. Fight for us! I know you can!"

Aubrey stopped a good distance away and Chase turned to look at her. "What a pep talk sweetheart, but blondie's going to will me his powers now."

"No he's not!" Aubrey yelled. She looked down catching Reid's eyes. "Get up. You will not die today, you promised to marry me remember!"

"Oh how sweet." Chase mocked his sights now set on her. He walked towards her his head tilting back and forth. "Unfortunately toots I think you're going to have to settle for something else."

"No, she wont." Aubrey grinned over Chase's shoulder seeing Reid climb to his feet. A large energy blast hit Chase directing him away from Aubrey and he landed several feet away.

Reid tossed her his cell phone. "Call Jack." He told her and turned back throwing another energy blast at Chase.

"Why Jack?" Aubrey asked confused.

"Just do it!" Reid yelled at her still fending of Chase who was now back on his feet.

Aubrey dialed Jack's cell phone number and dropped to the ground as one of the deflected blasts passed right over her now laying body. _"Reid?"_

"Aubrey. Why am I calling you?" Aubrey questioned watching to boys duke it out now, with fists. Chase hit Reid sending him flying back.

"Is that all you got?" Chase yelled. "Give up! You boys can't even beat me with three ascended!" He yelled triumphantly as Reid stumbled to get to his feet.

The next few seconds everything just became flashes of memory. A shot that rang out louder than the rumbling skies above. Chase fell to his knees clutching a bloody gaping hole over his heart. Another shot rang out and Chase collapsed to the ground unmoving. Aubrey ended the call getting up uneasily and painfully making her way over towards the fallen psychopath.

Chase's body erupted in to flames and Aubrey looked up catching Reid's eyes fading to blue. He dropped to his knees and Aubrey quickly made her way over to him, moving as gently as she could. She dropped down next to him and his face turned to her. "It was the only way." He told her lightly.

Aubrey nodded and Reid lay back on the ground exhausted from the fight and from the use of his power. Aubrey could see the dark circles under his eyes. Not only was he worn down from the power use he probably hadn't slept since two nights ago. Aubrey lay down beside him resting her aching face on his chest carefully hissing his pain as his around moved around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He said quickly.

"I'm not." Aubrey gently lifted her head and kissed his lips tenderly. "I love you so much." She whispered to him.

"Right back at you." He said tiredly.

"Oh my god!" Sarah yelled running through the old site of Putnam barn, leaping over charred pieces of wood and old metal objects laying about.

Aubrey barely lifted her head and saw the two other girls running after her, Jack carrying a black case of some sort. "Reid, Aubrey you ok?" Sarah asked crouching down to check them.

"Fine Sar, go check on Caleb though." Reid murmured.

"Tyler!" Jack called seeing her boyfriend trying to pick himself up out of his windshield. "Oh god, baby are you ok?" She asked helping him off the hood of the car.

Tyler nodded shaking the glass off his body. "Just a few cuts." He told her leaning on her for support his body a bit weak.

"Pogue?" Kate asked she was standing on the front right tire of the Hummer leaning over her boyfriend. She tapped his cheek. "Pogue baby wake up."

Pogue began to stir and groggily winced. "I think, there's a piece of glass stuck in my ass." He said wincing when he moved again.

A small giggle escaped Kate. "Well let nurse Kate take a look." She joked.

Pogue's eyes open and he smirked at her. "Yes ma'am."

Sarah had rolled Caleb on to his back and she was running her fingers lightly against his cheek. Like he'd done all those months ago when he'd saved her. His eyes slowly opened and brown locked on blue and both smiled. "It's over." Sarah whispered and bent her head down and kissed him softly.

Aubrey helped Reid sit up and they both saw the fire Reid had started on Chase's body was no longer burning and there was nothing but ash. "He's gone for good." Aubrey murmured.

Reid nodded and turned his head kissing her temple, hissing when he realized his lip was split and the adrenaline his body had been running on was no longer masking the pain of the little things anymore.

"You all need a hospital." Jack said holding Tyler up.

"What would we tell them." Reid said helping Aubrey stand, both then held their ribs in pain.

Caleb who was the least bruised came over his arm over Sarah's shoulder. "Ty, you think your mom could bandage us up?" He questioned.

Tyler smirked. "Just like when we were kids." Georgie Simms was a doctor, she worked at her own private clinic in Ipswich and she was the personal doctor for the boys when they were growing up, getting in to accidents even the adults couldn't explain to a hospital.

"I don't know I think nurse Kate's taking pretty good care of me." Pogue joked making his way over to the group with Kate's help.

Kate giggled. "Shut up."

"Come on, let's go wake up mom and tell her it's Reid's fault." Tyler joked looking at his blond friend.

Reid chuckled and winced slightly at the pain it caused in his chest. "What can I say, trouble just follows me around." Everyone shared a brief laugh and then made their way over to the busted up Hummer.

"Ty I think you can fix it, without much consequence, you never use." Caleb informed him. "But we've used a lot tonight." He said a bit depressed at the thought.

Tyler's eyes flashed black and the glass shared began repairing themselves until it was once again a pristine windshield, the dents on the hood popped out and the Hummer looked good as new.

Before everyone got in to the large SUV Caleb stopped them. "Wait." Everyone's eyes went to him. "Everything from tonight will never be spoken of again. Chase is just a missing person to the rest of the world, that's what he is to us."

Everyone nodded their agreements and got in to the Hummer. Caleb and Pogue had used to get to the site, since a car would be a little hard to hide. The squeezed in and Tyler pulled away from the old Putnam barn, for good. They had no need to return there again, and hopefully they never would.

AN: Ok so what does everyone think, I think I suck at fight scenes. So please forgive me. I wanted a good ending though and while I wanted to leave you all in suspense till next chapter I could not. It just would not have been fair of me. Anyways tell me what you think. I might want to rewrite this chapter IDK, it depends on what kind of response it gets. Also I don't know if anyone read one of my little Author notes a few chaps ago, but I have pics up of what the parents for this story look like. Just click my homepage link and check it out.


	24. It Just Hurts A Little

Chapter 23: It Just Hurts A Little

Next Morning:

Aubrey was awake at eleven AM even though she hadn't gotten to sleep until three in the morning. After arriving at the Simms home, only a mile down the way from the Garwin home, and waking Georgie (short for Georgina) Simms she insisted on taking the teens to her clinic. Upon seeing Reid and Aubrey clutching their abdomens she wanted x-rays to see exactly how bad off they were.

Caleb, Tyler, and Pogue all had minor cuts and bruises a gash on Caleb's forehead needed some stitching and Pogue ended up having a sprained wrist, but other than that they were the best off of the five involved. Reid and Aubrey weren't so lucky, Aubrey had two fractured ribs as well as one broken rib, her right shoulder was dislocated and her one ankle was twisted pretty bad, but luckily not broken. She had a few more cuts and bruises from the abuse she'd sustained over the course of her time with Chase as well. Georgie re-wrapped her wrists and then turned her sights on Reid.

_Flashback:_

_"You can't seem to stay out of trouble." She told him jokingly. The boys had completely filled her in, all of them filing in and out of the treatment room one by one. Reid had insisted on Aubrey staying by his side and Georgie agreed. She'd gotten they're x-rays at the same time giving them time to develop as well as giving her time to look over the others. _

_And now she was just finishing up with Reid. "Yeah you know me." Reid chuckled and winced in pain._

_"You're going to need to take it easy Reid, no swimming until these ribs have time to heal." Georgie told him. She was wrapping his mid torso just like she'd done for Aubrey._

_"How long will it take to heal?" Reid questioned._

_"You both should be feeling better in one to two months. I'll give you each a prescription for pain medication with two refills, if you need more come back and see me." She finished taping down Reid's bandage and then stepped back. "Now you kids need to be getting some sleep, it's late." Aubrey walked around the small bed to Reid handing him his t-shirt. He accepted it and gently eased it on to his body._

_Along with his ribs Reid had a few good cuts on his face and a few bruises here and there. "Thank you Mrs. Simms." Aubrey said looking over at her with a kind smile._

_Georgie smiled back. "Aubrey call me Georgie, Mrs. Simms is my mother in law." She teased the young girl. "And you are practically part of the family." Reid chuckled lightly and then winced hand reaching up to his ribs. Georgie began to dig around in one of the cupboards for something and her hand came out with a small pill bottle. Opening it she poured two of the pills in to her hand and then turned to the small sink at the counter and grabbed to of the small paper cups from the dispenser on the wall. She filled each and turned to the teens. "Here." She held out her hands handing Reid and Aubrey each a pill and a cup. "You two are in more pain than the others this should help, but no driving." _

_Reid and Aubrey each took the medication and tossed the empty paper cups in to the trash before leading Georgie out of the treatment room._

_"Let's go home." Reid said kissing Aubrey's temple softly as he put his arm around her waist and she huddled close to his body for warmth. It was the early morning hours of Ipswich and it was cold and all she had was a short sleeve shirt and jeans on. Aubrey nodded her agreement as they got in to the waiting room where their friends were talking quietly to one another._

_End Flashback:_

None of the teens had made it home that night. Georgie had insisted they come back to the Simms home and rest, since none of them really needed to be driving in their conditions. So the teens had agreed, phoning their parents to let them know. Jack had already called home earlier that day and informed her adopted mother that she would be staying in Ipswich for a few days. Nothing else needed to be said.

Aubrey looked over to her left and saw Reid sleeping, his arm draped over her waist and a small smile on his lips. A similar smile tugged the corners of Aubrey's lips up before she crawled carefully from the guest bed of the Simms home and made her way out in to the upstairs hall and downstairs to the kitchen hobbling due to her injured ankle. She wore a pair of Georgie's pajama bottoms that she had been leant as well as the other three girls. She had on a white tank as well and the zip up hoodie Reid had left in Tyler's closet. It was only zipped up half way and the left shoulder was hanging down her arm.

Seeing that she was the first awake Aubrey began scrounging around the kitchen in search of something to make for breakfast. It was the least she could do for Georgie and the other's. The pain medication Georgie had given her and Reid was really working, and Aubrey hoped it would last for just a little longer until they could make it to the pharmacy for more.

She found a box of waffle mix and some small semi sweet chocolate bits and pulled them from the pantry also grabbing the vegetable oil and then a liquid glass measuring cup from a cabinet bellow the microwave. She set the ingredients on the counter and went in search of a bowl and hopefully having waffle mix meant that Georgie kept a waffle iron in the house as well. And she found that she was in luck. She pulled out the waffle iron and plugged it in to heat up while she began mixing the batter.

With Reid:

Reid began to wake and instantly felt around the other side of the bed hoping the night before hadn't been some horrible dream. When he found the space next to him empty he sat up quickly glancing around ignoring the screams of pain coming from his torso. "Aubrey?" He asked allowed. The bathroom door was wide open and the light was off, she wasn't in there. His heart started to race as he removed the covers from his body and looked around the room, he was definitely in his usual guest room at Tyler's so that wasn't a dream and his pain wasn't a dream. Now he just needed to find his girlfriend to ease his thundering heart.

Quickly slipping on his t-shirt from the night before and his jeans he padded barefoot down the upstairs hall, looking in to each room quietly. Everyone was still sleeping soundly in their own beds. Hearing a small clattering from downstairs Reid furrowed his brow and headed down the stairs at the opposite end of the hall that would lead down directly in to the kitchen. It was an old stairwell that servants had used long ago to take food upstairs. That had been ages ago though, long before Tyler's grandfather had taken over the home.

That's something the Simms family didn't believe in, servitude. Mrs. Simms was especially against it. She thought anything another person can do for you, you can do for yourself. And never once since the Simms family had taken ownership of the house had anyone stepped foot in that house to service the family.

Reid made his way down the stairs and opened the door at the bottom quietly. He peeked out and saw Aubrey hobbling over to the sink to dropped in a few utensils and then went back over to what looked like a stack of waffles on a plate next to a waffle iron. He smiled seeing that she was alright and walked in to the kitchen silently shutting the door he'd used behind him.

Aubrey was to drawn in to breakfast to even notice her boyfriend coming up behind her. "Hey." Startled she jumped and ended up juggling the hot waffle in her hand until at last it escaped her and landed on the floor.

A small chuckle behind her had her turning around a small frown on her face. "Was sneaking absolutely necessary after the last few days?" She asked him.

"I'm sorry." Reid apologized instantly his smile fading. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Aubrey sighed slowly kneeling down to grab the fallen waffle and then back up just as gently. She tossed the waffle in the sink and went back to her breakfast making. "It's ok. I've just been having a weird few days."

Reid put his arms around her waist and rested his lips against the shoulder his hoodie wasn't covering. "I am so sorry."

"I'm fine really." She said enjoying the feeling of just being held in his arms. "I missed you." Aubrey closed the lid on the freshly poured batch of batter and turned in Reid's arms. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday."

Reid smiled gently at her. "It's ok, we can celebrate another time."

"How about next Saturday you and I go do anything you want." Aubrey suggested.

She got a nod in response. "Sounds good, but you don't owe me anything. It's not like you wanted to miss my birthday." Reid said kissing her forehead lightly. "Thanks for the cake by the way, it's the best cake I've ever gotten."

Aubrey grinned looking up at him. He hated seeing the bruises on her face but he pushed those feelings away. "You got your cake?"

Reid nodded. "Yeah."

"Good." Aubrey said lightly.

"Oh before I forget..." Reid pulled something from his back pocket and handed it to Aubrey. Her cell phone.

"How..."

"I used one last time to get it back." Reid told her.

Aubrey gave him a stern look. "No more using."

He grinned and nodded. "No more using from here on out."

"Ok." Aubrey sniffed. "Do you smell that?"

Reid chuckled and pointed behind her. "I think you burned this batch." He teased. Aubrey turned around but not quickly and went over opening the waffle iron, sure enough the light had clicked on but she hadn't noticed and the waffles were a bit charred on either side. She removed them from the waffle iron and tossed them in the sink and then added a bit more batter and closed the lid watching it carefully this time.

Arms wrapped around her waist and her boyfriend began to kiss the side of her neck, that spot she loved for him to kiss and bit and lick...a small moan escaped her lips and Reid grinned. "Reid you're going to make me ruin another batch."

He chuckled and pulled his lips away from her neck and just hugged her against his chest. "What exactly are you making?" He questioned.

"Chocolate chip waffles with a chocolate syrup." She told him. "My mom use to make it for me."

Reid kissed her cheek softly. "Sounds good."

"Reid, you're going to think I've lost my mind but I saw her. I saw my mom when I blacked out that last time after Chase launched me at the tree."

Reid didn't want to take away that lightness in her voice, the happy air to the thought of seeing her mother. Though he might have thought she'd been dreaming he also thought that maybe she really believed she saw her and maybe she had and who was he to take that away from her. "Really?"

Aubrey glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Yeah. She was exactly how I remembered her, before the cancer." She smiled. "You believe me?" She questioned.

"I believe if you believe." He replied kissing her shoulder lightly and then just rested his face in to the crook of her neck.

They remained that way, Reid just holding her as she cooked waffles for at least thirty minutes before anyone joined them.

"Oh, good morning." Reid glanced over his shoulder at saw Georgie Simms walking in to the kitchen. "How long have you been awake? And Aubrey I thought I told you to take it easy?" Georgie chastised with a smile jokingly.

Aubrey looked around Reid at Georgie and smiled. "I am. Breakfast is the least I can do for everything everyone's done for me and you. I hope you like chocolate waffles with chocolate syrup."

Georgie smiled at her. "Sounds lovely. I'll get some coffee going and go wake the other's. It's noon, they need to be getting up so they'll sleep tonight. It is Sunday after all."

Later On:

After everyone came downstairs to find breakfast awaiting them on the kitchen table and Aubrey quickly whisking at a pot on the stove they all thanked her gratefully and sat around the table. She came over setting the homemade chocolate sauce on an oven-mitt taking her seat next to Reid and watching everyone ravage the food.

"Aren't you hungry?" Jack asked her.

Aubrey shrugged. "I don't have much of an appetite today."

Reid glanced over at her and then put one waffle on the plate in front of her. "Please eat?" He asked sweetly.

Sighing Aubrey nodded and ladled on a small amount of the chocolate syrup and began to eat like the others. "This is so good." Jack said enthusiastically. "Where'd you come up with it?" She asked after swallowing.

"My mom use to make it for me when I was a little girl." Aubrey told them.

"How'd you make the syrup?" Georgie asked. "My grandma use to make something similar, but she never wrote down the recipe."

Aubrey smiled over at her. "It's just equal parts water and sugar, with just a tablespoon or two of flour and a tablespoon or two of coco powder, just depends on how much you want to make."

"You'll have to write that down for me." Georgie smiled at her again and Aubrey nodded her head and took another bit of the chocolate covered chocolate chip waffle.

When Pogue stood everyone looked up at him as he set a determined look on his face and went in search of something in the kitchen. "What are you looking for?" Tyler asked confused.

"Ah ha!" Pogue exclaimed and grabbed the jar of peanut butter from the top shelf of the pantry and came back to the table. "Found it." He said opening the peanut but he used a clean spoon to scoop out a decent amount and put it on his plate. Then when he cut in to his waffle he dipped the chocolate syrup covered bit in to the peanut butter and then ate it. Everyone was watching him in amusement.

"Good?" Kate asked giggling softly.

He looked over at her and nodded. "Ya you'f hafta try it." He said through the food in his mouth making everyone crack up laughing at that point.

Georgie laughed as well. "Christopher Pogue Parry chew, swallow, and then speak." She chastised playfully.

Pogue looked down at the table his cheeks flushing at the use of his full name. "Wait, wait, Pogue's name is Christopher?" Jack asked looking at him with a silly grin.

"Yeah." Pogue glared at her playfully.

She smiled. "Why do you go by Pogue then?" Jack asked.

Pogue shrugged. "Don't like Christopher or Chris."

"I tried to stop your mother from naming you that." Georgie said. "Glad I got to Melinda in time they were going to name Reid, Reginald." Aubrey almost choked on her food when she heard the name, everyone started laughing.

"Yeah, yeah yuck it up. Aunt Georgie saved me." Reid said jokingly bitter.

Georgie smiled at him. "And Caleb, he got lucky really. Evelyn had no desire to name him James William Jr. Jimmy kept insisting that they could just shorten his name to Jr. but Evie wasn't having it."

Caleb smiled, he'd heard these stories many a time as well as the others. Their mother's had become very close when they were dating their fathers and even closer when they found out the covenant secret and even closer after they were all married to the sons. "What about Tyler?" Jack asked her conversationally.

Georgie smiled. "His father and I butted heads on names for the first few months and then when he was born neither of us had even remotely agreed on anything, but when the nurse brought him in the day after he was born, still nameless mind you, I was asleep and so his father was holding him and when I woke up he just said 'What about Tyler?' and we agreed so that was his name."

"Kathryn was my grandmother's name." Kate announced with a smile. "Really original."

"Jacquelynn was the name of a neighbor my mother grew up with who died in a car accident in high school." Jack told everyone.

"That's sad." Kate said.

Jack shrugged. "My mom named me after the nurse in the hospital that gave her the epidural." Sarah informed everyone with a laugh.

"How'd you get yours?" Jack asked Aubrey.

Aubrey was leaning back in her chair now, breakfast plate empty in front of her and she stared at it. "Deceased grandmother." She informed them. "On Nicky's side." Everyone became a little silent.

"Well, how are things with Nicky?" Georgie asked, Tyler having informed his mother of the situation at hand.

Aubrey let a smile grace her face. "Great."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." Georgie said sweetly. "Alright, I think since Aubrey cooked the breakfast the rest of you can clean it up."

Pogue and Tyler groaned. Caleb was up to help in any way he could. "What about me Aunt Georgie, I'm cripple." Reid said and pointed to his ribs.

Georgie smiled. "With the exception of Reid." She said.

"Not fair." Jack through a crumb at him and he laughed.

"Sorry Jackie baby." He stood from his seat offering Aubrey his hand and she took it letting him help her up. "I think we'll go to the pharmacy and see about getting those prescriptions filled." He informed everyone.

"Pharmacy's closed on Sundays." Caleb told him.

Reid smirked. "Not for a Son of Ipswich." He grinned.

Caleb chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I'll call the pharmacist and see what I can do."

"Thanks." Reid said and lead Aubrey out of the kitchen and upstairs to change back in to her clothes from the night before. "Ok how are you really?" Reid questioned once they were in the guest room alone.

Aubrey looked over at him. "Huh?"

"You were too quiet." Reid told her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm always quiet. And nothings wrong, I'm just starting to feel the effects of the pain reliever wearing off. It hurts to talk, to move, breath...everything kind of just hurts." Aubrey whispered softly.

Reid sighed and wrapped his arms around her gently. "I wish I could take the pain away. It's the only thing our powers can't do. We can't heal, if we could we wouldn't age, we wouldn't have to worry about the effects."

Aubrey nodded burying her tender to the touch cheek into his chest. "It's ok."

"No it's not, this is all my fault." Reid murmured kissing the top of her head lightly.

"Don't say that." Aubrey lifted her head and looked at him. "It's not your fault."

"I feel like if you weren't with me this would never have happened." Reid replied with remorse. "You've been through too much because of me."

"No I've been through too much because people around us can't seem to get their heads out of their asses." Aubrey said jokingly.

Reid chuckled. "I've corrupted you. I remember when you couldn't say certain things without blushing. You are very cute when you blush."

"I use to cuss." Aubrey said mockingly offended.

Reid smirked down at her. "Who said I was talking about cussing." A small blush formed on her cheeks even though she tried desperately to hide it Reid grinned like a fool. "I still got it." He said proudly.

"You are such a pervert." Aubrey shook her head slightly and pulled away from him to get changed.

Reid smirked. "But I wouldn't be me otherwise." He'd deliberately changed the subject, nothing she said could ease the guilt he was feeling. But the guilt he was feeling wasn't going to stop him from loving her so their was no point in dwelling on it any longer.

When they finished changing Aubrey let Reid call a cab and when it arrived they said their farewells to their friends and headed to the pharmacy after Caleb told them the pharmacist was coming in specifically for them. Sometimes Reid loved being a son of Ipswich. And sometimes it was a burden, but right now he wasn't going to dwell on that either.

"By the way." Aubrey said as they were seated in the back of the cab. She looked over at him sweetly. "Happy birthday."

AN: Ok so this was basically a filler 'after the fact' chapter. I didn't want to just go...'and for months later...yadda yadda...that wouldn't be cool, now at least you know some fun little facts about the families and such, lol. Anyways let me know what you think. I finally got my desk and chair and they are so cool...i love them, my desks name is DAVE and my chairs name is SNILLE...at least that's what Ikea named them...lol...ok so just fill me on what you guys think, I'm typing better now that I have a comfortable place to sit with my jacked up back an all, so hopefully more chapters to come and quicker then before!


	25. Deputy Dufus

Chapter 24: Deputy Dufus

The Monday following Reid's birthday was supposed to be normal. That is until Aubrey ran in to her father in the hallway that morning. "Aubrey what happened to you?" Provost Higgins exclaimed grabbing her chin turning her head from side to side examining the damage.

Aubrey brushed his hand away and smiled at him reassuringly. "Nothing." She said in a meek voice.

"Those bruises aren't nothing." Robert said sternly.

Aubrey sighed. "I fell down a small hill in the woods the other day it's nothing." She said lying to him.

Robert shook his head. "You're lying to me Aubrey. Did Reid do this? Or Nicky?" He questioned her.

Aubrey scoffed offended at the thought. "No of course not. I fell. That's all." She said adamantly and then walked away from him to her first period class. She sat down next to Reid and smiled over at him.

Class was boring as per usual and Aubrey was just playing with Reid's fingers in her lap when the door to the classroom opened and two deputies walked in. Ipswich didn't have a police department only a sheriffs station, one sheriff and six deputies were supposed to keep the small streets of Ipswich 'clean'. Aubrey just found it amusing, they basically get paid for busting up illegal parties on occasion, the rest of the time they sit on their asses and do nothing.

"Reid Garwin." The teacher said after speaking to the first deputy. "Please come down here. Miss Higgins you to."

Aubrey and Reid looked at each other and both stood leaving their bags and going down to meet with the teacher and deputies. "Reid Garwin?" Deputy number two asked. His badge read 'Elliott' on it.

Reid nodded. "Yeah." He said confused.

"Please come with us." Deputy Elliott said.

The other deputy turned to Aubrey. "Aubrey Higgins we need to speak with you as well." They all left the classroom and once in the halls Deputy Elliott turned Reid around and placed cuffs around his wrists. "Reid Garwin we are detaining you under suspicion of assault." He said and then took Reid away. Both teens too shocked to say anything as he was lead out the door.

Aubrey turned to the other deputy who started walking her the same way a moment later. "What are you talking about? Reid hasn't assaulted anyone." She finally said.

"We received a phone call, we just have to investigate. We'll discuss this down at the station."

Sheriffs Station:

Aubrey was seated in a small little interrogation room. She stood and began pacing and then out of anger slammed her hand on the small window. "I want a lawyer or my father! Whichever just do it now!" She ordered.

Reid was in a room next to hers but hadn't a clue what was going on with Aubrey, the cement walls were too thick to hear through. A deputy came in to the room, the same one who'd arrested him or better 'detained him. "I want a lawyer, I didn't do anything wrong." Reid told him angrily.

"We received a phone call stating there was a possibility that you assaulted Miss Higgins. We are just investigating the accusation Mr. Garwin." The Deputy informed him.

Reid looked at him in outrage kicking his chair back and standing slamming his hands down on the metal table. "Aubrey? Me hit Aubrey? Are you out of your fucking mind I love her I would never lay a hand on her!" He exclaimed upset.

"Mr. Garwin like I said we are just investigating. We just need to know how she got her injuries." The Deputy gestured for him to take his chair and be reseated.

Reid sat and looked at the Deputy straight in the eye. "I didn't hit her." He said with conviction.

Aubrey looked up and saw her father, Robert, coming in to the room. "I said my father, not you." She said angrily. Aubrey walked over to him and shoved him. "Who do you think you are calling the police and telling them Reid hit me. I told you that wasn't what happened!"

"Aubrey I'm just looking out for you." Robert stated calmly.

Tears formed in Aubrey's eyes and she glared at him. "Looking out for me, you're insane if you think Reid hit me! He didn't! I want Nicky, now! Get out!" Robert tried to speak. "GET OUT!" She screamed shrilly.

When the deputy opened the door to leave the room Reid could hear Aubrey scream at someone to 'get out' and he had a pretty good idea who she was screaming at.

Aubrey seated herself angrily back in the small metal chair behind the metal table and crossed her arms over her chest. Deputy Elliot came in to the room and shut the door behind him. When he sat he looked right across at her. "Are you covering for Reid Garwin?" He asked.

"No." Aubrey said sternly. "If my boyfriend was hitting me I wouldn't be with him."

"I come from Boston and I've heard every story under the sun Aubrey. Now please tell me the truth."

Aubrey looked at him and glowered. "I am telling you the truth. What. Part. Of. No. Do. You. Not. Under-fucking-stand." She said angrily. "I want to see Reid."

"Right now that's not possible."

"Not possible? Not fucking possible. I want to see my boyfriend now!" Aubrey yelled.

"Miss Higgins please be seated." The deputy said calmly. She'd stood abruptly when she'd yelled at him.

Aubrey rested her hands on the table and leaned forward a bit glaring at him. "If you want to talk about injuries why don't you take a good look at Reid. He's hurt to."

There was a knock on the door and Deputy Elliott stood to answer it. Another deputy whispered something to him and he nodded his head. He held the door open and Nicky walked in. "What the hell is going on here?" He questioned seeing Aubrey sitting there.

"Mr. Moretti we've detained Reid Garwin under the suspicion of assaulting Miss Aubrey Higgins." The Deputy informed him.

Nicky looked at her. "Did Reid hit you?" He asked.

Aubrey shook her head. "No."

"Good. That should suffice." Nicky looked at the deputy.

"Unfortunately Mr. Moretti Aubrey can't explain her injuries." Nicky turned and got a better look at her face. He walked over kneeling down and Aubrey stood up.

"Where are these injuries from Aubrey?" He asked.

"I fell." Aubrey told him the lie she'd told her father.

"Aubrey these injuries are to extensive for a fall." Nicky said.

Aubrey sighed. She didn't want to come up with some elaborate lie that Reid didn't know cause he might come up with one. Why hadn't they discussed this before going back to school. It hadn't occurred to either of them to do so.

"Reid and I were in Boston for his birthday the other night. We used some fake ID's to get in to this bar and things got out of hand. Reid got in a fight I tried to break it up but the guy had his friends grab me and hold me back. After, Reid and I didn't want to do anything because we'd both been drinking underage at a bar." Aubrey lied convincingly. "The guys that were holding me back hit me a few times." She faked tears. "Now can I please see my boyfriend."

"We need to confirm your story with him first." Deputy Elliott told her.

Aubrey sobbed. "Please I just, I want to talk to my boyfriend."

Nicky gave him a look. "She's upset obviously if speaking to him is the only way to calm her down will you please let her."

Deputy Elliott looked at her sympathy in his eyes for her tears and nodded his head. "Alright, come with me." He walked her out of the interrogation room and down the hall to another door. He opened it and Aubrey instantly saw Reid all alone.

"Reid." She walked in quickly and he stood up giving her a hug hissing slightly from the pain in his ribs, Aubrey bit back a painful groan of protest at the contact. Aubrey whispered her story in his ear, so lightly the Deputy who was watching from the doorway would be none the wiser.

"Ok, Miss Higgins we just have a few more questions for Mr. Garwin." Deputy Elliot told her. Aubrey pulled away from Reid and looked at him sweetly. 'I'm so sorry.' She mouthed.

Reid smiled and kissed her cheek before she left the room and was gently enveloped into a hug by Nicky. "It'll be ok." Nicky told her. "Who told the cops Reid hit you?" He asked.

"My father. He assumed it was Reid when I told him I fell. We just didn't want to press charges, you understand right?" Aubrey asked looking up at him.

"Aubrey I'm upset you were drinking underage, but I do understand." Nicky said sympathetically. He walked her to the front of the police station her father was sitting there quietly. "What is wrong with you?" Nicky asked him.

Robert looked up at him.. "Excuse me? I was just protecting my daughter."

"By having her boyfriend detained and questioned? Look I know you seem to think Reid is a bad kid, like me in a way, but you just have to let that go. Aubrey's a grown girl and if Reid was hurting her in any way do you honestly think she'd let it continue? She's smart Robert! She would never willingly let someone beat on her." Nicky said angrily.

Robert stood and though he was shorter then Nicky, Aubrey saw this quite possibly getting ugly. "Who are you to tell me how to protect my daughter?"

"That's just it, she's not yours. She's got none of your blood. You may have raised her but my blood is running through her veins and if I could go back and beg Moreen to marry me instead of you this wouldn't even be an issue, because I would've raised Aubrey. She might not have had everything that you've given her but she would have been with me, her real father." Nicky replied honestly. Aubrey smiled slightly at the thought. "A father who would except the fact that her boyfriend might be a little reckless at times and might cause a bit of trouble here and there, but that doesn't make him a bad kid. Reid loves Aubrey more than you can seem to comprehend, he loves her like I loved her mother and I hope they get the chance that I blew away with Moreen. I hope they get to be happy together, you in the way or not."

Reid was now standing behind Nicky and Aubrey the Deputy beside him and he saw the smile on Aubrey's face. Nicky was really giving Robert Higgins a piece of his mind and it was about time. He came up beside Aubrey putting his arm around her waist. Aubrey turned her head up to look at him and he kissed her forehead.

Robert didn't know how to reply, with a last glance at Nicky and one to Aubrey and Reid he walked out of the Sheriffs Station. Aubrey looked up at Nicky. "Thank you." She said lightly.

Nicky offered her a smile. "You're welcome."

"We can go." Reid told her. Aubrey looked up at him and giggled.

"I feel so short right now." She said jokingly trying to lighten the situation.

"Come on I'll drive you kids back to school." Nicky told them a grin on his face.

Reid kissed Aubrey's cheek as they followed Nicky out of the Sheriffs Station. "Good cover." He whispered in her ear.

Aubrey smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Deputy moron asked me if we wanted to press charges and I told him no. So this should just go away." Reid explained to her.

Aubrey nodded her head and both teens climbed in to Nicky's Ford F-350 and left the Sheriffs Station behind. "I can't believe he called the Sheriff." Aubrey said as she sat between Nicky and Reid in the truck.

"Eh." Reid said dismissively. "This is just something else to cross of the 'do before I graduate' list. Getting arrested, check." He joked.

"I don't want to hear about anymore underage drinking. Got it?" Nicky said glancing over at both of them his eyes moving away from the forest lined road that would lead them all the way out to Spencer.

"Yes sir." They both nodded.

School:

After Nicky dropped them off out front of Spencer Academy Reid and Aubrey quickly made their way in to the school. Tyler had texted Reid to let him know he and Sarah had their bags in fourth period and that Val was looking for Aubrey. Aubrey had been sort of avoiding Val since last night. She didn't know how to explain everything to her at the moment and was afraid she'd slip up about the last few days. At least now her and Reid had a story to tell everyone about the injuries, at least the ones they could see. But Val might not buy it and that's what bothered Aubrey the most. She hated lying to her but it was Reid's and his brother's secret not hers to tell.

"What am I going to tell Val? She's not going to believe me about Boston." Aubrey said lightly to Reid as they sat and waited for the end of fourth period. They'd made it back midway through and didn't want to disrupt the class so they were sitting outside the door on the floor.

Reid looked over at her. "I don't know Sweets." He said ruefully. "I'm sorry you can't tell her the truth. I know she's your best friend and all..."

"What did you guys tell her while I was 'detained' by Chase?" She asked quietly.

"Nothing. At least I didn't. You might want to ask the girls though." Reid told her.

Aubrey nodded. "Reid, if there was a way I could tell Val, would you let me?"

He looked over at her and sighed. "Aubs I don't have that kind of power to make those decisions. It's up to Caleb and our father's."

"I know. I just wish I could tell her you know. It would make this that much easier on me. But that much harder on you four."

"Sorry Sweets." Reid said putting his arm carefully around her shoulder. Aubrey looked over at him and gave a small smile.

"S'ok." She told him. "I'll figure something out." The bell rang about ten minutes later and both teens stood to avoid getting trampled by their fellow students and their friends came out of the class.

"Oh my god is everything ok, why were the deputies here?" Sarah asked handing Aubrey her messenger bag. Aubrey carefully hung it from the shoulder that hadn't been dislocated and looked at Sarah as she rapidly fired off her questions.

"My father thought Reid had beaten me." She told her.

Sarah looked at her dumbfounded. "What?" She exclaimed outraged.

"Calm down Boston, we sorted it out." Reid told her just as Tyler came out with Reid's messenger bag. "If anyone asks Aubrey and I were in a bar fight in Boston the night of my birthday ok?" He asked Tyler.

Tyler shrugged. "Ok. So what was with the deputies?"

"They arrested Reid cause Provost Higgins called and told them he beat Aubrey." Sarah said incredulously.

"What?" That deadly voice was very familiar and Aubrey looked over and saw Val walking over to them her eyes on Reid. "You did what?" She growled.

And even thought Val was smaller then Reid he back away from her dangerous gaze. "Val calm down." Aubrey said. "That isn't what happened."

Val turned her gaze on Aubrey. "Then tell me what happened. Rumors have been flying like freaking alien saucers around these halls all day. You showed up to school all bruised and shit. Look at you." Val said worriedly. "What happened?"

Aubrey looked at her and offered her reassurance with a smile. "Reid and I went in to Boston for his birthday the other night, we used some fake ID's to get in to this bar and I don't know one of the guys said something about me to Reid and he got pissed. We ended up out back, Reid and the guy went at it I tried to stop it but his friends held my back and hit me a few times. We didn't report it cause we'd been drinking."

Val sighed and looked at her with concern. "Have you been to a hospital?"

"We went and saw Georgie, Ty's mom and she fixed us up." Aubrey lied.

Nodding Val seemed to accept the lie easily and Aubrey was thankful. She hadn't been sure she could pull off the lie to Val so easily. "Fine." She turned her eyes on Reid, giving him the most deadly look Aubrey had ever seen her muster up. "If I ever hear the words Reid, beat and Aubrey in the same sentence I'll hog tie you and castrate you. Got it?" She growled.

Reid gulped and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Aubrey giggled and gently pushed Val back from her boyfriend. "Take it easy Val. I swear if Reid was beating me you'd have to get in line to beat him. Nicky took first dibs when we were heading back to the school."

"No I think Val terrifies me more then Nicky at this point." Reid whispered to her. Aubrey glanced over her shoulder at him and grinned. "Or maybe Val and Nicky at the same time scares me shitless."

"You'll be fine." Aubrey smiled at him, he leaned down brushing his lips against hers so briefly it was like a ghost kiss and she turned back to the others. "How about lunch, I'm starved."

"Me too." Val said.

"Threatening people really takes it outta ya doesn't it?" Aubrey teased her.

Val just laughed at her. "So Reid how was your birthday? A little birdie told me something about a certain birthday surprise!"

Aubrey looked over at her giving her that 'shut up' look. "What birthday surprise?" Reid asked looking down at Aubrey with a grin.

"Nothing." Aubrey said looking up at him sweetly. "We've already talk about it."

This made Reid smirk. "Oh right..." He said and tapped his chin. "Since that didn't happen..."

"Let me heal you pervert." Aubrey said rolling her eyes.

"Ok I feel so out of the loop." Tyler said. Val and Sarah were whispering and giggling to each other and Tyler was awkwardly following them to the cafeteria.

"Sorry." Aubrey said looking at him apologetically. "Sarah did you guys grab that stuff from the dressing room the other day. I totally forgot it when I went to pay for that dress." She lied easily to Sarah, cause Sarah knew what she meant.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, it's in mine and Kate's dorm."

"Cool." Aubrey replied.

Reid and Aubrey lead the small group in to the cafeteria and found the rest of their friends already seated at the table.

AN: OK so it's a little short, but trust me it's worth it, cause I'm already starting the next Chapter as you read this. Can you believe two in one day! Awe...I'm just feeling good right now and that is so great.! Ok so here it is and let me know what you think! It's a filler chapter really! Laterz!


	26. My Oh My

Chapter 25: My Oh My

Saturday:

"Reid this is amazing." Aubrey said seeing the small picnic spread about twenty feet away from the cliffs that overlooked the dells. "It's your birthday not mine."

"And this is what I wanted, a romantic night for just us." Reid said smiling at her. He led her over to the picnic blanket and helped her sit down and then carefully sat himself. The rest of their week had been pretty uneventful luckily and the rumors about their injuries had final come to a stand still when Aaron Abbot was found naked outside Kira's dorm room banging like a mad man for her to let him in.

Kira had found out about him sleeping with her roommate while she was at the showers and normally she wasn't one to complain as long as he still came back to her bed every night, but she found her roommate utterly repulsive and was very upset with Aaron.

Reid was smiling at Aubrey as she took in the view and the meal he'd chosen. She wore a simple gray sweater dress, with short sleeves and a scoop neck that hung mid thigh, and her petite feet were adorned in black ballet flats. "You got my favorite food, Reid this is for you." Aubrey said looking up at him.

"I know, but this is the least I can do to make up for last week." Reid told her with a smile.

Aubrey gave him a minimal frown. "Reid you have nothing to make up for."

"I know, I know I just...just let me please." He pleaded with a playful grin. "I'll feel better."

"Fine." Aubrey sighed playfully.

Reid grinned. "You look beautiful tonight."

"Yeah you've said that...twice now." Aubrey said a small blush creeping on to her cheeks. Reid loved that he could still make her blush.

"Yeah just thought I'd say it again. I got you fettuccine with grilled shrimp or you can have mine. Chicken Parmigiana." He offered.

Aubrey smiled. "I'll stick with mine thanks." She said.

Reid reached in to the basket next to him and pulled out the main courses. They were in small plastic to go containers. He removed the lid form hers and handed it to her with a fork. When Aubrey reached to take it he held it back with a grin. "I get a bite and a kiss deal?"

"Deal." Aubrey smiled taking the offered food from her boyfriend. Once they were both eating Aubrey decided to drop the subject of his present. "So I have part of your gift with me." She told him.

"Part of?" Reid smirked.

Aubrey nodded. "Part of it is with me. And the rest of it is just going to have to wait." She said grinning at him.

"Till when?" Reid replied smirking back at her.

"How about we'll see how we feel for my birthday?" Aubrey asked.

"I think I can live with that." Reid nodded a handsome devilish grin on his face. Aubrey smiled in return.

"So how did coach take it you wont be swimming in state?" Aubrey questioned changing the subject.

"Flipped his lid, but when I showed him the bruises on my ribs he started going in to a rant about how careless I am and how reckless...yadda yadda." Reid said dismissively. "He's just disappointed that I can't swim in state and have the chance to make it to nationals before I graduate."

"And your parents? How'd they finally take the news that you aren't going to be going to college?" Aubrey asked him.

He grinned sheepishly and looked down at his empty bowl. "I didn't exactly tell them yet."

"You said after your birthday Reid." Aubrey said lightly. "Graduation is in two months, your parents have probably been searching the mail for letters since three months ago."

"I know, I know I just I don't want to see their disappointment written all over their faces." Reid told her honestly. Aubrey set her bowl aside and then took his setting it aside before moving to sit comfortable between his legs.

"Reid Garwin what am I going to do with you?" She asked jokingly as his arms wrapped around her and she ran her fingers gently up and down his visible forearms, the sleeves of his black button up shirt were rolled up to his elbows his usual gloves nowhere in sight.

Reid kissed the nape of her neck, her wavy locks stylishly ponytailed to the side hanging over her right shoulder. "Mom wants me to bring you to dinner tomorrow night. How about you help me tell them?" He asked hopefully.

Aubrey turned her face so she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "You promise to tell them if I'm with you?"

"Yes."

"Ok. But you can't leave it up to me to tell them, you have to be the one to say it." She expressed firmly. Reid just nodded silently and pressed a tender kiss to her lips. When he pulled away Aubrey turned in his embrace and sat straddled over his lap. "Do that again." She instructed playfully.

Reid smirked and kissed her again this time allowing his lips to stay on hers for much longer. He took her bottom lip in to his mouth and nibbled a bit at it making a soft moan escape her lips, he knew every touch that could make her moan and gasp with pleasure and for some reason tonight he just wanted to hear each one out of her mouth.

His hands slipped up her creamy smooth thighs under the hem of her skirt until they reached her scantily clad backside. His lips broke from her kiss and he opened his eyes smirking at her. "Thong?" He questioned.

Aubrey grinned. "_Nothing_." She whispered pressing her lips to his again furthering his sudden arousal. Reid groaned into her mouth as her short fingernails scraped against his tender scalp, sending shocks throughout his body at the moment he didn't care if his ribs were hurting he just wanted to feel normal. He wanted to have a normal make-out session with his girlfriend like before she'd found out about the power, before she'd been taken away to Maine. He just wanted to feel normal again.

The sun was setting casting a delicate glow on the couple. Reid's right hand trailed back over Aubrey's thigh, over onto her inner thigh and then he cupped her soft heat the tips of his fingers glancing over her sensitive nub. Aubrey gasped and Reid grinned inwardly slipping his tongue into her mouth his fingers glancing over her moist walls.

Aubrey felt his two skilled fingers enter her slick core and they began to make a come hither motion making her arch and lift her body breaking her kiss swollen lips from his own. "Reid." She whispered breathlessly. Reid attached his lips to her collarbone and bit teasingly at her skin. She didn't know if she should be happy or stop him. It wasn't fair that he was doing all these things for her, when they were celebrating his birthday. "Wait." She reached down grabbing for his hand.

"Want to help?" He smirked pulling his lips away from her collarbone to grin at her.

Aubrey offered a small blissful smile. "No, R—Reid." She squeaked when his fingers pumped again. "Wait." She ordered trying to keep the smile on her face. "I just, it's not fair. This is only a one way street..." She tried to explain meekly.

Reid chuckled lightly and took his hand from her silky behind and grabbed the hand that rested gently against his left pectoral. He rested it against the growing bulge in his jeans and looked in to her eyes. "You still have hands and I still oh so enjoy your touch." He said huskily.

"I haven't done that since...I thought you wanted the other way?" She asked blushing slightly.

Reid leaned forward and kissed her red cheeks. "I like anyway with you." He said kissing her lips softly.

Aubrey giggled lightly gently handling him through his jeans. "Should we be doing this out here?"

Reid smirked and continued his previous ministrations with his fingers inside of his girlfriends warm folds. "Should we? I don't know. Are we? Yes." He said huskily nibbling on her ear as a soft gasp of pleasure escaped her as he hit a particularly sensitive spot.

Sunday:

Reid was smirking the entire drive over to his parents house. "What is that smile for?" Aubrey questioned.

His eyes turned on her and darkened lustfully making a small pink tinge appear on her cheeks thinking about the night prier.

_Flashback:_

_It hadn't taken much more then a little finger action and some gentle biting on her neck for Aubrey's damn to break. She slackened against his chest breathing shallowly, trying not to expand her lungs to full capacity, riding out the screaming orgasm Reid had given her. She didn't tell him the breathing was hurting her ribs, she didn't want him to feel guilty. So she just pushed the pain aside._

_"Wow." She whispered softly her head resting on his shoulder her lips brushing occasionally against his neck._

_"I think I'm going to have to throw these jeans away." Reid laughed lightly._

_Aubrey's brow furrowed and she lifted her head looking at him. "Why?" She asked. Reid smirked at looked down. Aubrey followed his gaze and gasped. "I'm sorry." She said looking at him ruefully biting at her lip._

_Reid just smirked. "I'm not." He said grabbing her lips in a hot kiss. Aubrey felt bad but she wasn't going to let that stop her from returning the favor. She slowly unzipped the fly of his jeans and undid the button. Reid helped her pulled his jeans down his thighs a little ways and felt her hand reach in to his boxers and grip him. "Wait."_

_Aubrey pulled away from his lips a little and gave him a curious look._

_A grin adorned his playful blue eyes and he reached for the hem of her dress and started lifting it up. "You look really good in this dress, I don't want to ruin it."_

_Aubrey giggled as he removed the dress, showing him that she had nothing on under it at all except for the ace bandage wrapped around her ribs. His fingers skimmed over her breasts as he smirked at her._

_"Now please continue." He said sarcastically and Aubrey did so..._

_End flashback_

"I'm just glad nobody decided to show up." Aubrey told him with a smile.

Reid smirked. "Yeah they would've gotten quite the view before I beat them to a pulp." He joked.

Aubrey shook her head playfully and rested her hand over Reid's on her thigh. "I'm wearing panties tonight so don't you dare try anything." She scolded him playfully.

Reid smirked. "One time I did that."

"It was a family dinner and your parents were on the other side of the table." Aubrey said looking over at him amused. They were both dressed in nice jeans and casual tops.

"I said I was sorry and besides you were in a skirt that night."

"No you weren't sorry. I'm just thankful your mother didn't look under the table to see if their actually was a mouse." Aubrey giggled.

"It was funny you have to admit." Reid grinned turning his attention back to the road.

Aubrey rolled her eyes bemused. "Shut up."

They arrived at the Garwin home shortly after their conversation ceased leading in to a comfortable silence.

As they let themselves in the front door Melinda Garwin came in to the foyer from the study. "Oh Reid, Aubrey I'm so glad you're here. Aubrey it's nice to see you feeling better." She said kindly.

Aubrey had gotten a call from Melinda after Reid had talked to her Sunday afternoon to let her know that things had gone somewhat ok the night before and that Chase was officially gone.

"It's good to see you." Aubrey smiled and the older women giving her a kind hug.

As Aubrey wandering in to the front living room she didn't notice Melinda hold Reid back. "I told you." She said to her son with a smile.

Reid smiled back and nodded before they both followed Aubrey in to the sitting room. "Where's dad?" Reid inquired.

"Oh in his office, you know him." Melinda joked.

"Actually his unnecessary conference call is over." Randall said walking in to the room where Aubrey and Reid were comfortable on the love seat and Melinda was sitting in a small single seater chair. He perched on the armrest of Melinda's chair. "Glad everything went well." He said to the teens.

"So Reid what's this is hear about you being arrested." Melinda inquired looking at her son.

Aubrey decided she'd fill in the blanks for his parents since really he should never have been arrested. "I'm sorry, that's my fault. My...Robert saw me in the halls Monday morning and freaked out because of the bruises and cuts. I told him I fell since Reid and I hadn't really thought about it and he took that as Reid had assaulted me and called the Sheriff."

"I swear that man has it out for you Reid." Randall shook his head.

"It's not about him. It's about me." Aubrey told him. "Before it was about him cause he was getting himself into plenty of trouble, now it's just cause he's my boyfriend."

Reid shrugged. "I don't know I thought I made myself pretty clear at that dinner we had that I wasn't going anywhere." He looked to Aubrey and smirked.

Aubrey smiled in return. "I hope not."

"Don't worry Sweets I'm not." He kissed her forehead and turned to look back at his parents who were smiling at the young couple. "So Aubrey told Deputy Dumbass that we went in to Boston, used some fake ID's to get in to a bar and ended up in a fight. And then after it was settled Nicky tore into Higgins."

Melinda looked almost relieved. "Well good for him. Robert had no business calling the Sheriff. Reid may be a lot of things but he is no abuser."

"Exactly." Aubrey said. "I honestly thought things were getting better, I think this just put us back at square one."

"It'll work out, eventually." Randall said. "Now I think dinners on the table. Why don't we all go eat." Everyone stood in agreement and headed for the dinning room.

Reid held Aubrey's hand firmly in his looking at her almost pleading with her. "You'll be fine." She whispered squeezing his hand in hers. He looked down and saw her wrists no longer bandaged, the cuts healing nicely and she didn't like the confinement of the bandages.

They all sat around the table Randall and Melinda on either end and Aubrey and Reid on either side, both couples were facing their significant other basically. As soon as the food was served and light conversation was underway Aubrey gently taped Reid's ankle with her peep toe heeled foot.

Glancing across the table he nodded at her and cleared his throat. "Something you want to say Reid?" Randall questioned.

Reid nodded having his parents attention. And then nothing came out of his mouth and Aubrey sighed. "Randall, Melinda Reid has something he needs to tell you." She informed them.

"Well Reid go ahead." Melinda offered gently.

Clearing his throat nervously Reid looked down at his plate, avoiding all the gazes set on him. "I'm...I'm not going to be going to college in the fall." He said quietly.

"Reid if you're worried cause your acceptance letters haven't come in yet, I have some friends on the board at Duke..." Randall started.

Reid lifted his head shaking it no. "No, I mean I'm not going to college at all. At least not actual college."

"He's going to take an online business course." Aubrey offered up for. Reid smiled gratefully at her and she smiled back.

Randall and Melinda both stared at Reid in confusion before Melinda found her words. "Reid why aren't you going to school?"

"Well I am in a sense, but I don't want to take over dad's business." He told them.

"And why not?" Randall asked. "Your great grandfather started that business."

"I know, and it's was great for you and grandpa, but it's just not for me. I want to open a bar, maybe a restaurant or something."

Melinda looked at her husband and saw in his eyes a bit of hurt and some anger and she spoke before he could say something he'd regret. "Reid how long have you known you weren't going to take over the family business?"

Reid shrugged. "I started considering alternative options a while ago, I just made up my mind this year though when I was looking at those college applications you guys wanted me to send in."

Randall looked at Aubrey. "And you support this?" He questioned her.

Aubrey offered a warm smile. "I do. He's still going to be getting his business degree, but he just wont be attending an actual class everyday. And I think that's what's best for him. Learning in a classroom does nothing for him."

A heavy sigh left Randall's lips and he looked from Aubrey to his son and then nodded reluctantly as it might be he still nodded. "Alright."

"Alright?" Reid questioned at the same time Melinda did. She hadn't been expecting that.

Randall nodded again. "Alright. Aubrey's right classroom teachings have never really been your thing and neither has the family business. I can't force you to take over the family business. I'm sure if I hadn't have been groomed to take over I might've done something else with my life."

"Really? You mean you aren't mad?" Reid questioned his father.

"Mad, some, but I can understand. Aubrey's a smart girl and if she thinks this is what's best for you and you think this is what's best for you, I can't stop you."

Aubrey gently kicked Reid under the table. "See I told you he'd be understanding." She grinned.

"Great you aren't going to let me live this down are you?" Reid questioned looking at her with a smirk.

"Nope. 'A Garwin, nervous? It's almost unheard of.' If I remember your words from freshmen year." Aubrey said sardonically.

"Oh don't let Reid and Randall fool you they both get nervous plenty. I thought Randall was going to sweat an ocean the day of our wedding." Melinda teased.

Aubrey giggled. "Now that's a sight I would've loved to have seen."

Later That Night

Reid's Dorm:

"I don't expect Tyler back till about two." Reid informed Aubrey as they made their way in to his dorm room.

"Why cause that's the time he can crash and still wake up at seven and function for a whole day?" Aubrey giggled.

Reid nodded. "Exactly. Besides he and Jack do that kissy 'I don't want you to leave' bull for about an hour." He joked.

Aubrey smiled. "We do that."

"Yeah but nobody has to know that. I do have some of my bad ass rep to maintain Sweets." Reid said grabbing her waist as they carefully sat down on his bed. Aubrey nestled herself in his arms and he reached over to his nightstand flicking the light on and grabbing the book that rested there. "Did I tell you this is the best gift I've ever gotten?" He asked sweetly.

Aubrey sat up with him both leaning back against the headboard of his bed. "Yes you mentioned that a few times." She grinned. He started flipping through the pages of the photo memory book. There were photo's ranging from Freshmen year all the way up till last month in the book. Aubrey was going to enlist Melinda to help her get some photo's of Reid as a young kid, but she had a better idea for that for later on. "And yet you have a reputation to uphold." She teased.

Reid laughed. "Well no one has to know I enjoy this, but you."

"True." Aubrey said. He turned the page and the one they both were looking at had small scraps of papers designed to be homework sheets and pencils and little designs endorsed the page (AN: Be creative with your mind, I haven't done scrapbooking in years, so I don't remember technical terms) And the pictures embellished by the page were one of Aubrey and Reid 'studying' at Nicky's and the other was of Reid fast asleep on his math book.

Aubrey remembered that night she'd kept him late at the library and he'd fallen asleep while she graded the test paper he'd done. She snapped the shot with her cell phone because she wanted to remember how sweet he looked when he was sleeping.

Reid flipped a few more pages and pointed to a picture. "I remember this, that was the dance when we agreed to keep our friendship on the down low."

"Yeah Kate took that picture of us dancing together." Aubrey nodded. "That was also the night you told me you didn't think I was that pretty to sleep with."

"Yeah about that..." Reid bit his lip and looked at her apologetically. "Sorry. I was trying more to convince myself that I didn't find you attractive."

Aubrey smiled at him. "S'ok. Thinking about it now makes me want to sing that song from Miss Congeniality." She joked.

Reid laughed lightly and kissed her cheek. "Well I'm still sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

Aubrey and Reid continued to look through the scrapbook until the door opened at around one thirty in the morning and Tyler came walking in a goofy grin on his face. "Oh hey Baby boy. Nice night?" Reid questioned with a smirk.

Tyler grinned like a fool and nodded. "Great night."

"I should go, let you guys get to sleep." Aubrey started to get up from Reid's bed.

"No stay I'm just going to crash anyways." Tyler told her.

"Ah did Rabbit wear you out." Reid mocked sardonically.

Tyler glared over at his best friend. "That's my nickname for her dude, get your own." Tyler had started calling Jack, Rabbit and only Reid knew why, but Aubrey could guess after the little situation she'd seen them in that one night.

"I know dude chill." Reid grinned.

"I think I'm going to head to my dorm room." Aubrey tried to get up again but this time Reid grabbing her arm gently holding her in place.

"No stay." He said.

"But you both need some sleep. This isn't just your room Reid." Aubrey told him sweetly.

Tyler through his jacket on the floor and curled up under the covers of his bed. "You can stay. I've been friends with Reid long enough I'm sure I could sleep standing up in a room full of people. Don't worry about it."

"See." Reid said triumphantly in a childish manor.

Aubrey looked over at him and then grabbed the book from his hands setting it down on the nightstand and they both snuggled down under his comforter. "Set the alarm, so I can get up and go to my dorm in the morning please." Aubrey yawned.

Reid nodded and kissed her forehead as he reached across her gently, his ribs still healing and he set his alarm clock to wake them earlier then usual so Aubrey could get up and go back to her own dorm room just down the hall to get ready for school.

"Goodnight Sweets." Reid kissed her softly as they both started falling asleep in their street clothes.

"Night Reid, night Ty." Aubrey yawned snuggling in closer to her warm boyfriend.

"Night Aubrey, night Reid." Tyler mumbled.

"Night dude." Reid said and then everything fell silent as Reid used just a minuscule amount of his power to turn out the light on his nightstand.

AN: Ok so what do you guys think. I'm not actually going to be posting this till tonight, it's actually 3:22 in the afternoon and I am at work without internet. So yeah, I am just waiting for my shift to start. My boss asked if I wanted to clock in early but I really wanted to at least finish this chap and start the next, so yeah. Anyways this is yet again a bit of a filler chap. The next one is going to be better I hope if my mind works with me instead of against me and yells at me to make another filler chapter! Ahhhh! Anyways yeah so Kat will be in the next chap hopefully, so yeah leave a review you know you want to!


	27. For Me

Chapter 26: For me...

Spring Break

Mid April:

"Kat you'll love this place." Val stated. Aubrey, had offered Val and Kat a lift to Nicky's since she had to meet Reid there anyway. Kat's plan had gotten in late the even before and Val had commandeered Aubrey's car to go to Boston to pick her up.

Aubrey didn't mind she'd had a small movie night in Sarah and Kate's dorm, the roomies having invited Jack up from Boston that morning to join in celebrating a week without school. Jack had taken a greyhound bus the hours drive to Ipswich, all paid for via Tyler who said since she was spending the week with him he was going to treat her like a queen.

Reid was having Aubrey stay with him at his parents house for the week since they were in Europe for business and he was asked to watch over the house. Georgie had told Tyler to invite Jack down for the week so that they could get to know each other better. Kat had come to spend the week with Val, they were planning on staying at the dorm.

"Thanks again Aubrey." Kat said happily. She was sitting in Val's lap in the passenger seat the couple not wanting to be separated.

Aubrey smiled over at them and then looked back at the road. "Anytime. And I mean that."

"Actually we talked about some stuff last night." Val told her with a grin.

"Yeah?" Aubrey questioned.

"Well I wasn't expecting to make a friend on the east coast and since I met you I kind of like having you around." Val said jokingly making the two other girls laugh. "So I figured since I'm not going to college and Kat here got excepted to Boston University we'd moved to Boston together and we'd be close enough so we can stay in touch."

Aubrey smiled at the thought. "You added me in to your future plans?" She asked.

"Of course." Val said. "Your the only friend I've had in years who isn't grossed out by me and Kat." She told her honestly.

"Yeah when Val told some friends of hers back home they stopped talking to her." Kat said stroking Val's cheeks sensitively.

"That's horrible." Aubrey said softly. "But I'm really glad you guys are moving to Boston, this is great."

"My parents are going to be a big issue, but I don't care." Val said adamantly.

Aubrey looked over at them after parking outside of Nicky's. "You're my best friend to you know."

"Awe sweet moment." Kat said teasingly. Val tickled her sides and Kat squirmed and squealed in giggles. "Stop." She cried out. "I'm sorry." She laughed softly kissing Val.

Aubrey just climbed out of the car rolling her eyes in amusement, they really were cute together. When Aubrey first met Val she'd thought she was perfectly normal and straight, but now Aubrey couldn't even imagine Val with a guy. The words Val and man just didn't go together. Knocking on the passenger window she grinned as the couple broke their steamy kiss and Kat opened the door climbing out. "So when were you going to tell me you applied at Boston U?" Aubrey asked Kat. They kept in touch via email.

"Well Val had been saying something about staying on the east coast so a few months ago I applied at a few places close by. Boston U accepted me almost immediately. I mean I don't have the perfect GPA for Brown or the extracurriculars but I'm smart." Kat told her.

Aubrey grinned. "Well that's great. And if theres any way I can help out just let me know."

"Nah I've been storing away my allowance for years, I've almost got sixty grand saved up." Val told her coming up behind Kat and slipping her arm around her waist.

"What!" Kat and Aubrey exclaimed as their feet stopped in place.

Val nodded. "My folks have been giving me a thousand dollars a month for clothes, food expenses and stuff for the last four years. I just put it away in a bank account my grandma cosigns on. I put in all my birthday money from my grandparents and I only use what I have to. Sometimes my mother will send me money if I ask so I just lie and say I need school supplies. That gets me by for a little bit."

"You are amazing." Kat smiled and pecked her lips tenderly. "You really are."

"I know." Val smirked.

"Come on you two." Aubrey giggled and they continued their walk in to Nicky's. The moment she stepped inside Aubrey spotted her boyfriend in the back corner at the pool tables with Tyler, both laughing at Jack who must have said something funny.

"Tell Nicky your drinks are on my tab tonight." Aubrey told them and they nodded their heads and headed in separate directions. Aubrey went to Reid while Val drug Kat into a secluded corner of the bar.

Once she was through the smoky haze and the crowds of people Aubrey saw Reid in sight. He glanced up and caught her walking towards him. Grinning he moved around the table to meet her half way. "Hey Sweets." He leaned down a pecked a kiss to her lips.

Reid had was almost completely healed, his injuries not to the same extent as Aubrey's. "Hey." Aubrey smiled at him. "I brought Val and Kat. Come on I'll introduce you. I have to give Val my keys anyways since I'm going with you tonight."

Reid nodded and she took his hand leading him back the way she came and over to the corner she'd seen Val slink in to with drinks in hand. She came up alongside the table and grinned down at them. "Kat this is Reid, Reid this is Kat Val's girlfriend."

"It's nice to meet you. You guys have the most romantic story!" Kat called out over the music a genuine smile on her lips.

Reid grinned. "Thanks. I try!"

She grinned back taking a sip of her soda. "You want to sit?" Val offered gesturing to the available seats.

Aubrey shook her head and pulled her keys from her pocket slipping them across the table to Val. "I'm going home with Reid tonight, behave in my car." She said giving her a look.

Val took the keys slipping them in to her pocket and nodded her head. "Yes ma'am." She saluted jokingly over the jukebox. "You two behave yourselves." She said smirking at them.

Reid wrapped his arms around Aubrey's waist. "Unlikely." He called over the music and then drug Aubrey way giggling.

"You're encourageable." Aubrey tiptoed up pecking a kiss to his cheek as they stopped in front of the pool tables. "I'm going to get a drink. Want one?"

"Hey grab me a Shirley Temple." Jack said coming up alongside her and sliding an arm around her waist. "Pretty please." She said pouting.

Aubrey smiled and nodded releasing Reid and slipping her arm around Jack's waist. "Sure."

"Rabbit, sorry she got away from me." Tyler said coming over and pulling a giggling Jack back in to his arms. Reid put his arm around Aubrey's shoulder and smirked at his best friend. "I think she had to many candy bars this afternoon." He joked holding her against his chest.

"No, pixie sticks!" Jack cried out in sarcastic outrage slapping Tyler's leg.

"Ok I'm not a rocket scientist but I say we never give her pixie sticks again!" Aubrey laughed. "She's practically bouncing off the walls."

"Don't look at me." Tyler said and smirked pointing to Reid.

Aubrey glanced up at her boyfriend. Reid grinned and shrugged. "You should've seen her twenty minutes ago." He said playfully.

"I wonder if Nicky makes a sugar free Shirley Temple." She said and then kissed Reid quickly and headed towards the bar.

"Aubrey! I saw you wandering around here." Nicky smiled seeing her come right up to the bar.

"Hi D...Nicky." Aubrey had started feeling more comfortable with the idea of calling Nicky dad since he'd stood up for her at the police station, but she wasn't sure how he'd take it.

"Just give me time." Nicky said as if Reid the sudden expression on her face.

Aubrey smiled at him and nodded. "Can I get a Shirley temple and a Pepsi please and can you do sugar free soda?" She asked jokingly.

Nicky laughed. "You talking about the pretty little thing on Tyler's arm. She's had him dancing on and off for hours, I'm surprised she's still standing."

A giggled escaped her lips as she looked back at her friends. Tyler was holding Jack against his chest and she was giggling like made as he whispered something in her ear, Reid was smirking and rolling his eyes turning to the empty pool table and the other's hadn't arrive yet it seemed. "She's perfect for him." Aubrey said looking back at Nicky.

"Yeah. So here's a Pepsi and unfortunately I can't do sugar free Shirley Temples." He joked sliding to full beverages across the bar to her.

Aubrey grinned and shook her head. "That's ok. I'm sure she'll wear herself out sooner or later." Nicky laughed as Aubrey headed through the crowd sodas up to avoid spilling as she bumped people. She was very careful about maneuvering around so as not to cause herself pain. "Here you go." Aubrey handed Jack her Shirley Temple and the girl squealed in delight and practically guzzled half the sweet beverage then and there.

"Whoa, whoa slow down Rabbit." Tyler took the glass from her hands and set it on the high table next to him. "If you're going to drink like that you should drink water."

"Ah please can I have it back. I'll sip slowly." She said pouting and batting her eyelashes at him. Aubrey watched amused as Tyler gave in handing her back the drink. She sipped at it daintily and he smiled. "Better?"

"Yes thank you. I don't want you choking on an ice cube." Tyler teased her.

"Best way to prevent that is to dance with me." She said playfully fisting her hand in his t-shirt and pulling him towards the dance area.

"Oh come on, no more." He complained playfully back. "Dance with Aubrey." She said pointing back at the brunette beauty. She'd gone back to one color after the start of April.

"Uh, uh leave me outta this baby boy." Aubrey teased and made her way over to Reid who was leaning over lining up a shot on the pool table.

"Don't miss." She whispered leaning down to his ear. She watched her face next to his as he knocked the white cue ball into the striped yellow knocking it in to the right side pocket.

Reid stood and leaning forward on his pool cue looking down at her and smirked. "I never miss." He said confidently.

"I think we might have to save Tyler soon, Jack's wearing him out." Aubrey turned her head to the couple dancing a bit way from them. Tyler was just holding Jack swaying his hips as she danced wildly to whatever song was on.

Reid chuckled. "I'm sure baby boy will be fine. He might even get laid tonight."

Aubrey giggled and took a sip of her Pepsi." Play me?" She asked gesturing to the pool table.

"I don't know..." Reid mocked and tapped his fingerless gloved fingers against his chin. "Are there going to be stakes."

"If you want." Aubrey said amused.

Reid nodded. "Ok, if I win you have to take a shower with me tonight."

Aubrey grinned. "And if I win you have to dance for me." Oh Aubrey had something up her sleeve but Reid obviously wasn't catching on and he nodded.

"Fine."

Thirty-six minutes Later:

Aubrey victory danced around the pool table with Jack, who'd stopped dancing with Tyler and had come over to see what Reid and Aubrey were up to. When she found out about the bet she'd become a rather loud cheerleader on Aubrey's behalf. Now they were dancing victorious around the table.

"Yeah, yeah Sweets." Reid said teasingly grumpy. "Come on." He grabbed her hand and started to pull her to the dance area.

"What are you doing?" Aubrey asked a smirk on her lips.

"Holding up my end of the deal." Reid said like she was crazy.

Aubrey tisked her finger at him and shook her head. "No that's not the deal."

Reid frowned. "Yes it was. You said I had to dance with you."

"No I said you had to dance _for me_." Aubrey annunciated the last part of the deal and Reid's eyebrow rose inquisitively.

"For you?" He asked confused.

Aubrey grinned. "We'll sort it out later." She pulled him back over to Tyler and Jack. Sarah and Kate, Pogue and Caleb had arrived and were also with the other two.

"I thought Reid had a debt to pay?" Tyler asked.

Aubrey nodded. "Oh he does." She said and sipped from her soda as she took a seat in Reid's lap after he took the last chair.

"And for once I have no clue what I got myself in to." Reid said with a mindless shrug. He lifted his head to look in to Aubrey's eyes a grin forming on his lips. "And it's actually kind of hot." He said so only she heard. Reid grabbed Aubrey's chin and brought her lips down to meets his in a kiss.

"Hey." Aubrey broke away from Reid and saw Val standing next to them a worried look on her face. "I left Kat to get drinks and when I came back she was gone, have you seen her."

"Did you check the bathrooms?" Aubrey asked.

Val nodded. "Yeah she's not in there."

Aubrey stood from Reid's lap setting her soda on the table, the group was now watching them with interest. "Well maybe she went out to the car for her coat." Aubrey grabbed Val's hand and led her through the crowd, very aware that Reid had stood and followed. When the chilly Ipswich night air hit their bare arms Aubrey could hear muffled words coming from the side alley and walked in the direction letting Val's wrist go. Reid was following quickly behind, the other's now at the door.

"Kat!" Aubrey called walking around to the side of the small bar.

"Get off of me." Kat growled at the curly hair teen pressing her against the wall.

"Hey Aaron let her go." Aubrey said annoyed.

Aaron looked over at her and sneered. "Mind your own damn business." He growled.

"Hey get your fucking nasty ass hands off my girlfriend." Val came around the corner and right up next to Aubrey.

Aaron's attention was back on Kat. Reid came up next to Aubrey and glared at Aaron. "You're a lesbian?" He questioned.

Kat smirked and nodded. "Yeah dickweed that's why I wasn't interested in going back to your place, nothing you have interests me." She scoffed.

Aaron pushed away from her. "Fucking lesbian bitch!" He snapped walking passed Val, Aubrey and Reid.

"Hey!" Aaron turned when Val called to him and he wasn't expecting the punch she landed smack in the middle of his face a sickening crunch upon impact. "Fucking man whore." She growled and shook out her hand walking over to Kat leaving Aaron groaning holding his nose now on his knees. "You ok?" Val asked Kat delicately cupping her face with her handles.

Kat's eyes shifted and she sat the blood dripping down from Val's knuckles. "You're hurt baby." She whispered grabbing her hand and holding it in front of her face to examine it.

Val shrugged. "Eh, didn't hurt." She said.

Kat smiled at her. "Thanks."

"I love you." Val whispered resting her forehead against Kat's.

"I love you too." Kat replied kissing her softly.

"Awe..." Kate, Sarah, Jack and Aubrey cooed as the guys, meaning Reid, Tyler and Pogue wolf whistled at the kissing girls. Caleb politely refrained.

Kat broke the kiss giggling as she looked over at their audience ignoring the angry mumblings of Aaron. "Hi." She said shyly a blush forming on her cheeks.

Kate, Sarah and Jack walked up next to Val. "Sorry, Kat these three are Sarah, Kate and Jack. Guys this is Kat." Val introduced them. "And the animals behind them are Pogue and Tyler, the gentlemen is Caleb."

"It's nice to meet you all. I'm really happy Val found a group of friends that accept her." Kat said kindly.

"Are you kidding? We'll watch that anytime." Reid said jokingly pointing between Kat and Val.

"Fuck off Garwin." Val growled playfully wrapping her arms around Kat. "She's not for show n tell."

Kat giggled. "I swear..." She trailed off.

"Who said anything about show n tell...I just want the show." Reid grinned.

"Reid!" Kate, Sarah, Aubrey and Jack scolded. Aubrey smacked him in the arm for good measure.

"Stop being a pervert." She chastised playfully.

Reid smirked wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her cheek. "Yes ma'am."

"Reid Garwin obeying a direct order." Pogue said mockingly. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Aubrey looked back at him and a smirked graced her lips. "I do plenty of things to make him obey those direct orders Mr. Parry so put a sock in it."

Everyone laughed at Aubrey for being so forward and then when it died down the group looked around. Aaron had wondered off unnoticed and uncared for. "We should go." Jack said a yawn escaping her lips.

"Finally coming off that sugar high?" Aubrey questioned.

Jack giggled softly and nodded. "Yeah, finally."

"Bout time." Tyler teased kissing the top of her head. "Come on, we'll head out to my place."

Jack took his hand and they started off towards the parking lot. "Night guys." Jack called behind her.

"Night." Were the simultaneous replies.

Reid looked down at Aubrey. "Ready to head over to my place?"

Aubrey smiled and nodded. "Sure. My bags in my trunk."

"Kat and I will probably head out to." Val said holding her girlfriend around the waist like Reid was holding Aubrey.

"We're going to stay a bit longer." Sarah said after sharing looks with Kate, Pogue and Caleb.

"Ok. Well goodnight." Aubrey said to the girls.

"Night." Sarah and Kate said as they walked back in to Nicky's with their boyfriends.

Reid and Aubrey led the way over to the cars. Kat stopped at Reid's Camaro her mouth slacked in shock. "Is this yours?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Reid nodded unlocking it. Aubrey opened her trunk with her spare key and pulled her duffel bag out.

"Can we borrow it?" Kat asked hopefully.

Reid lifted his brow in amusement. "Uh why?" Kat grinned at Val and then looked back to Reid. "Sorry, if anyones going to have sex in the backseat it'll be me." He smirked.

Kat pouted. "Spoil sport." She said crossing her arms over her chest.

Val laughed softly. "Come on Kat. Let's go back to my dorm and drink a little. You get naughty when you're drunk."

"I do not." Kat said giggling.

"You do." Val smirked. "And I like it."

They were climbing in to Aubrey's car when Kat climbed back out and smiled over at Aubrey who was just about to climb in to the Camaro. "Thanks, really." Kat said smiling.

"Have fun." Was all Aubrey said before climbing in to the Camaro's front seat next to Reid. Aubrey's Mazda RX-8 pulled out of Nicky's parking lot and was gone down the road seconds later. Reid started up his car and pulled the gear shift into driver before looking over at Aubrey.

"So I've been meaning to ask..." He paused as he looked both ways down the empty road and turned in the direction of the Garwin estate. "What do you want for your birthday?"

Aubrey shrugged. "I'm blissfully content with everything that I have. I don't really want anything." She said smiling out the side window.

"Well I have to get you something." Reid said.

"I'm sure you'll come up with something." Aubrey said sweetly.

Reid nodded his head mostly to himself, his finger running over his bottom lip. "I'm sure I will." He glanced over at her and when she looked over at him, her brown eyes sparkling in the moonlight streaming in the windshield he felt his heartbeat increased. Aubrey looked back out the window and Reid continued to ponder on his thoughts. "So do you know what you want to do for your birthday?" He questioned.

Aubrey shrugged mindlessly. "I was thinking we could all get a bit fancy and go out and do something fun."

"Everyone as in all of us?" Reid questioned.

Glancing over at him Aubrey smiled. "Well the night before." she said playfully.

Reid smirked. "What about the night of?" He asked her huskily.

"I don't know I'm sure you think of something for that as well." She grinned turning back to her window.

Reid nodded. "I'm sure I will." He repeated for a second time. With one last quick glance at his beautiful girlfriend Reid Garwin began going over plans in his head. He wanted her birthday to be perfect and it would be. No matter what.

Reid's Room:

After changing and getting comfortable under the covers of Reid's bed Aubrey waited for her boyfriend to come in from his quick shower.

When he did she smirked. "So you owe me a dance?"

"Yeah I tried to pay off my debt..." Reid started.

Reid saw Aubrey shake her head. "Again you miss understand. I said _for me_ not with me."

As if finally seeming to get it. "Ohh..." Reid drawled and slow grin lifting the corners of his mouth. "If you wanted me to do that all you had to do was ask."

"I don't need to you owe me." She smirked.

Reid nodded and smirked back. "Yes ma'am."

AN: AAAAHHH It's 1:14am Pacific coast time and I am wide awake, this story is just driving me to write more and more. This is like four chapters in a three day span. In-friggin-sane! I know. Anyways so it was kind of another filler chapter, but you also got to see a bit of Val/Kat interaction and some fun fluffy stuff a bit. Let me know what you thought! I like hearing form my readers it helps me improve so please keep reviewing!


	28. Grandma Dorothy

Chapter 27: Grandma Dorothy

Mid-way through SB:

"Party at my place tonight." Reid mimicked the words as he put them into a text on his cell phone.

Aubrey walked out of the bathroom putting in her dragonfly earrings. "I don't know how you plan to get away with this." She giggled. "Brunch with your parents before they fly right back out to New York. And a party tonight."

Reid smirked. "I'm just that incredible. Besides they don't have to know anything as long as we keep the party...minimal."

"Oh he learned a knew word for small." Aubrey smirked at him teasingly.

Standing from the end of his bed Reid walked over grabbing her around the waist and pulled her closer to him. "Don't mock me." He threatened in a playful manor.

Aubrey rolled her eyes resting her open palms against his designer clothed chest. Reid wore a Calvin Klein dark gray button up, the sleeves rolled to his elbows and the top three and bottom two buttons undone casually. He paired it with a simple dark distressed wash baggy jean and his black steel toed boots, that looked like they'd been through hell and back. "So who are you inviting?" She asked.

"Most of the Swim team, the guys and their leading ladies, some publics I know..."

"Reid you know that everyone is going to bring someone or more and it's Spring break I seriously think this is a bad idea." Aubrey tried to reason. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't spring break, but it was close to the end of the school year and rowdy rich senior Spencer brats were looking for any excuse to party hard before they had to go off to college.

Reid lifted his left fingerless gloved hand and tilted her chin up to look at him. "I promise if it gets out of control the guys and I will throw everyone out."

Aubrey made a face but nodded all the same. "Ok." She felt his lips press lightly to hers and she returned the soft gesture moving her arms around his neck. Reid's hand slide through her straightened brown hair until he was cradling the back of her skull gently still holding her firmly around the waist as close to him as he could manage.

A soft hiss escaped Aubrey's lips as she broke away, putting some space between them. "Damn it." She whispered.

Reid kissed her forehead. "Did you take some pain medication?" Reid asked.

"I took three Advil. I'm trying to not use those pain meds for everything." Aubrey told him resting her forehead against his left shoulder. "I'll take one before bed tonight though."

"Want me to remind you?" Reid asked kissing the top of her head.

"Sure. Hey I told Val and Kat they could stay in a guest room upstairs tonight is that ok?"

Reid smirked down at her as she lifted her head he rested his forehead against hers his eyes looking down into brown irises. "No." He teased her.

Aubrey giggled and pecked his lips. "Ok I get it."

"You don't even have to ask anymore." Reid told her firmly as they pulled out of their embrace. Aubrey went over to his closet in search of her jean jacket.

"Well I do ask because it's not my house." Aubrey told him, slipping her jean jacket from the hanger that dangled from a supported rod in the walk in closet. She turned in the doorway slipping it on and Reid admired her from his place close to his bed.

She wore a jean skirt that wasn't too short, a black t-shirt that read 'CASH' on the front, black low top converse and her jean jacket. The shirt she'd found in a box of her mothers things when they'd sorted through everything some of the stuff going to charity and the rest of it to a small storage for safe keeping for Aubrey.

"Why are you staring at me?" Aubrey asked as she ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it casually around her shoulders.

Reid smirked. "Cause you have no idea how hot you look just standing there." He told her.

Aubrey didn't blush, but grinned and walked out of the closet entryway and over to her boyfriend. "I'll take that as a compliment." She said playfully.

"Take it however you like." He said smugly.

"Can you see that hickey you left of my neck last night?" She asked turning her head to the right.

Reid laughed."No." He assured her.

"Good. Get your coat we gotta go." She said and turned on her heel and left his room.

"You want to drive?" Reid asked as he grabbed his coat in the closet and then came out to see Aubrey's head peeking around the door

frame of his room.

"The camaro?" She asked hopefully.

He smirked and nodded. "Yeah, I figured I'd give you a lesson on how to drive it." Reid grabbed his keys cell phone and wallet from his atop his dresser and walked towards the door following Aubrey in to the living room.

"This isn't a cruel joke is it?" Aubrey questioned skeptically.

He chuckled. "No."

Aubrey turned around and tiptoed up kissing him. "Good." Then snatched his keys which were the only thing left in his hand since he'd put his wallet in his back pocket and his cell in his jacket pocket.

After grabbing the keys she ran from him laughing excitedly. Reid always asked to drive her car, but he was very particular about her driving his cars. She couldn't drive the porsche cause she couldn't drive manual. But the Camaro was automatic, so she could, but Reid was worried that she'd never handled a car like it before. But she'd asked Sweetly several times this week and he just decided to give in.

Smiling to himself with a shake of his head he followed after shutting his basement door behind him and going upstairs. He walked through the house to the front door, through it and locked the door behind him. When he turned towards the Camaro Aubrey was already waiting in the car. He laughed minimally and headed down the stairs to the Camaro for once climbing in to the passenger seat.

The car was already started. "So what first oh might driver." She teased him.

"Well you've got the engine going, that's good." He teased right back making Aubrey laugh. "Just put it in drive and ease your foot on to the gas pedal. It's a bit different from yours." Reid told her.

Aubrey did what he said and the car gently eased itself across the brick lay of the driveway and around the fountain. "You know it's not as hard as you think." Aubrey told him with a smile.

"Well, it's just different then your car Sweets."

Boston:

Aubrey parked the Camaro in the parking lot just outside the restaurant where her and Reid would be meeting the Garwin's and shut off the engine. Reid had bickered about her over driving the car, using the brake too much...but when she looked over at him he grinned. "You did good." He said.

"You're petrified I'm going to ask to drive home aren't you?" She teased.

Reid tried to shake his head no but he spoke before he could stop himself. "N...yes." He said and nodded. "Completely horrified."

"Candice is your car, if you don't want me to drive that's fine." Aubrey sighed in surrender. In all fairness there was nothing wrong with her driving, but she could feel how Reid was feeling. Whenever she handed over her keys to him, she mentally nitpicked at the things he did while driving _her_ car that she didn't like.

"Awe you used her name." Reid said jokingly.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "You are impossible. Here take your keys." She took them from the ignition and climbed out of the car and walked around to the rear and waited for Reid.

He sighed knowing he'd frustrated her a little, but he couldn't help being picky about his car. Getting out he locked it up and walked over to Aubrey. "Sweets, I'm sorry." He said putting his arm around her waist. "There's nothing wrong with your driving."

"Yeah, yeah." Aubrey headed towards the main entrance of the restaurant and Reid followed after her grabbing her waist from behind and stopping her.

"No, really Sweets. You drive just fine I'm just a freak about my car, you know that. Besides can you honestly say you don't think negative things when I'm driving your car? I just choose to voice my opinions like the obnoxious jackass boyfriend I am." He said some of it jokingly so as to ease Aubrey's mind.

Aubrey turned around to face him fisting her hands in his jacket and looking up at him. "You might be an obnoxious jackass, but you're my obnoxious jackass. And you are mildly paranoid about your car I guess I can understand since I'm the same way when you drive my car."

"See." Reid smirked a playful glint in his eye. "So are we good, no more stomping off mad at me?"

"Yeah." Aubrey said softly and he leant down and kissed her lips lightly as she tiptoed up meeting him halfway.

"Aubrey, Reid." Both broke away to find the Garwin's standing to their left waiting at the entrance of the restaurant. Melinda smiled at them. "Glad you could make it."

Aubrey smiled politely in returning releasing her hold on Reid's jacket and slipping her hand down his side in to his. "Have you guys been waiting long?" She asked sheepishly.

"No. Our flight landed forty-five minutes ago and it took that long just to get from the airport to here, Taxi's are the worst." Randall complained.

"Let's go inside shall we." Melinda offered. Reid released Aubrey's hand and quickly stepped forward to open the door for his mother, Aubrey and his dad. "Thank you Reid." Melinda said kissing his cheek on the way in.

Aubrey grinned at him as she followed Randall in to the restaurant and felt his hand slip in to hers as he followed her in letting the door slip shut behind them. Once they were seated and looking at the menu light conversation started between the four.

"Reid is behaving himself at the house I assume?" Melinda asked Aubrey.

Aubrey giggled lightly and raised her eyebrows as she looked at the menu. "Of course not." She said it in a joking fashion. "He's already splattered red paint everywhere."

"Where would I even get red paint?" Reid asked Aubrey knowing she was only joking.

Aubrey glanced over at him and shrugged. "I dunno. Knowing you if you wanted to you'd find some."

"This I can not deny." He said sardonically.

"It's easy to peg you as a trouble maker." Aubrey remarked her eyes back on her menu.

"She's got you pegged Reid." Randall said aloud.

Aubrey grinned. "I've had him pegged for years."

"What is this bash Reid day?" He laughed.

"No it most certainly isn't. Actually we invited you both to lunch for a specific reason." Melinda said closing her menu and resting it on the table, before casually resting her folded arms over it.

Reid set his at the end of the table and looked over at his mother. "There's no such thing as a free meal these days." He joked.

Aubrey giggled handing him her menu to set atop his own. "What he means is, how can we help?" She said sweetly.

"Thank you Aubrey." Randal smiled at her. It was amazing how much alike Reid and Randall were. Aubrey found herself memorizing the similarities at times, occasionally wondering if Reid's child would look just like him as well.

Melinda smiled at them. "We were wondering if you two wouldn't mind staying at the house until the end of the first week of May. We agreed to help move Grandma Garwin from New Hampshire back to Ipswich. She'll be living in our home."

"Grandma Dorothy's moving back?" Reid asked a slow smile forming on his lips. His grandmother had moved away when he was eight, after his grandfather had passed away from the power.

Randall nodded. "Yes. She decided she's been away from home for too long. We'll be going to New Hampshire after we finish business in New York, to help her pack and get things shipped out here."

"This is awesome, I haven't seen Grandma Dorothy in like six years." Reid said happily.

Aubrey looked over at him and grinned. "Someone he's actually excited to see, I really need to meet this woman." She teased.

Melinda smiled. "Reid use to go over to Grandma and Grandpa Garwin's house every weekend when he was a child, but after Grandpa Garwin passed away Grandma moved to New Hampshire. We tried to send him out for visits, but it just got harder to do as he got older and his interests changed."

"Grandma Dorothy is the reason I can make breakfast." Reid informed Aubrey with a grin.

Aubrey giggled. "Well then I should thank her that you haven't killed me with your cooking yet."

"He cooks for you?" Melinda questioned raising a perfectly plucked brow at Aubrey. Aubrey nodded mutely. "Well aren't you special." She teased.

Aubrey smiled. "I like to think so." The rest of the meal was spent chatting ideally amongst the four of them. When it was over Aubrey and Reid bid Randall and Melinda a safe trip and started back for Ipswich. "So you're really excited about your grandmother coming back?" Aubrey asked conversationally after Reid had gotten the car on the highway.

"Yeah I am. Grandma Dorothy isn't like most grandma's. She's got a spitfire personality. A lot like me in a way." Reid stated reaching over and dropping his hand over Aubrey's their fingers mingling. "I think you'll really like her." He said sweetly.

"Of that I'm sure, but how can you guarantee she'll like me?" Aubrey asked a hint of concern etched in to her words.

Reid grinned. "Cause I love you." He said gently running his thumb along her palm. "And she thinks I'm a great judge of character. Or at least she use to when I was a kid running around with goodie-too-shoes Tyler Simms." He joked.

Aubrey giggled. "Why must you tease him? Besides he's not such a goodie-too-shoes anymore."

"Ah he'll fool Grandma Dorothy and she'll bake him cookies like she use to. All of Ty's grandparents passed away before he was old enough to spend any real memorable time with them. So Grandma Dorothy adopted him as her honorary grandson." Reid informed her.

"That's sweet of her." Aubrey said softly.

Reid nodded. "Yeah. So trust me she'll like you, because I adore you."

"I hope so." Aubrey murmured so softly to the passenger window Reid hadn't heard her. Aubrey wanted his family to like her, because she wanted to be a part of his life for as long as he'd have her. She was afraid that if someone he thought so highly of like his grandmother disproved of her he would maybe change his mind about her too. She knew it was silly to think that way, but she couldn't help worry.

Party:

"Oh my god! This...this...I want to move in." Kat exclaimed as she walked over to the group sitting in the game room of the Garwin home Val following close behind.

Aubrey giggled. "Hey Kat."

"You guys are so lucky." She said looking around.

"She's been like this since we pulled up out front." Val said putting her arm around Kat's waist.

Kat looked over at Reid. "Your house is the size of my apartment complex, the whole thing."

Reid shrugged. "It's not my house. It's my parents. I always thought it was a bit to big." He admitted.

"Seriously?" Kat asked. "I'd love to live here. I wish I could have something this amazing."

"Trust us it's not all it's cracked up to be." Pogue said.

"No you guys have it made." Kat took a seat with Val on a bar stool near the mini bar.

Tyler shook his head. "No, we might have money but really it's not that great. Money can't buy you a lot of things. Like friends and love...it's hard making friends in our position cause they just want to claim their friends with us, to be popular. We were lucky to have each other growing up."

"Yeah at least you know if your friends are true friends or not." Aubrey stated.

Kat smiled. "You make a good point."

"And I'll take care of you forever and ever." Val whispered hotly in to her ear.

"Awe..." The girls chorused.

Tyler, Pogue and Reid were all silently chanting... 'Kiss, kiss, kiss...' until their respective girlfriends smacked them upside the head and told them to mind their own business. Caleb was the only non animal in the bunch. "Why is Caleb always praised?" Reid demanded jokingly after the girls smiled at Caleb sweetly.

"Because I can keep my mouth shut unlike you three." He replied looking smugly back at Reid.

"Oh big whoop." Tyler said jokingly.

"Yeah man we all know you like seeing them kiss as much as we do." Pogue remarked smirking at his friend.

Caleb shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh whatever." Reid rolled his eyes.

"Come on Reid." Aubrey grabbed his hands. "Let's go make sure the house is still in one piece."

"I'm sure it's fine." Reid complained getting up and following her out of the room.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "We should probably be a part of the party." Jack accepted his out stretched had as he stood and they followed out the door Aubrey and Reid had wandered through.

The other's soon followed and found themselves amongst what could easily be a hundred of Spencer's finest students. Swim team members said their hello's the the son's and their girlfriends.

Jack and Tyler found Aubrey and Reid in the kitchen. "Well if you hadn't invited all these people it wouldn't be broken now would it?" Aubrey said dropped the broken shards of glass in to the sink.

"Why are you arguing with me about this? It's a vase, my mom will get over it." Reid rolled his eyes. He leaned back against the counter arms cross over his chest.

Aubrey stepped back from the sink to look him in the eye. "It's not just a vase Reid. It's a one of a kind priceless artifact your mother got in Egypt. If you listened when she spoke you'd know that."

"Oh so it's my fault you didn't tell me to put it somewhere else?" Reid snipped.

"Oh you are not blaming me for this. I told you not to have a party." Aubrey said frustrated.

Reid mimicked her words mockingly before standing up straight and looking down at her. "Well if you'd just let me fix it..._my way..._" Reid said.

Aubrey glared at him. "I said no."

"Well fine then." And with that Reid walked out passed Tyler and Jack and left Aubrey in the kitchen.

Sighing and shaking her head Aubrey walked passed them and went downstairs to Reid's basement apartment. A few minutes after she sat herself down on the couch there was a small knock at the door. The door opened slowly and Jack peeked her head inside. Aubrey wiped at the small tears on her cheeks. "Hey." Jack said shutting the door and walking over to sit next to her.

"Hey." Aubrey replied softly.

"So, what happened? I'm pretty sure we didn't see all of it." Jack asked.

Aubrey sighed. "We found the broken vase and I started picking it up, Reid said he could use to fix it and I told him no. We argued some about that and then I told him he was stupid for having the party and that's where you found us in the kitchen."

"Well you guys never fight so maybe it's just tension built up." Jack said logically.

"I feel bad." Aubrey said lightly. There was another knock at the door and it opened.

Jack whispered in her ear as she patted her knee. "Looks like someone else feels bad too." She stood and left passing Reid before he shut the door behind her.

He turned back towards Aubrey. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you." He apologized.

Aubrey stood and walked towards him. "No I shouldn't have practically ordered you not to use your power to fix the vase. I'm not your boss."

"No you're my girlfriend and you care about me, you have every right to tell me not to use my powers."

"It's your life." Aubrey replied softly with a shrug.

Reid put his arms around her waist. "And you're a part of it. I shouldn't automatically chose to use my powers to fix something."

"And it's not your fault you didn't realize that vase was so important to your mother." Aubrey said lightly resting her around around his neck.

"I sent everyone home accept the others. I'll tell my mom I broke it and I'll try to find a replacement."

"There's no replacing it Reid." Aubrey said softly. "But you could find something better. I'll help."

"Thanks." Reid kissed her.

"Welcome." Aubrey whispered kissing him again.

AN: OK lame chapter I know, but I know what I want to do and I started this one and had to finish it. It's filler, next chapter will be way better. Things have been very busy I got my hair cut, which I swore never to do and now it's 7 inches shorter, wow! Yeah big change...anyways that brought on lots and lots of thoughts for my next couple chapters! Woo...hopefully more sooner rather than later!


	29. Surprise

Chapter 28: SURPRISE!

Aubrey's Birthday:

"Reid this is incredible thank you." Aubrey said as her finger glanced back and forth on his forearm. The couple was seated outside on the deck of a waterfront seafood restaurant in Ipswich, Reid had told Aubrey they could do everything he had planned on her birthday instead of the day before.

Reid smiled across the small table at his girlfriend. Still enthralled by her stunning new look remembering the other day so clearly.

_Flashback:_

_"So I'm thinking about asking Aubrey to share a place with me in Providence." Reid told his friends._

_Pogue, Tyler, and Caleb gave him stupefied. "What?" Tyler finally managed to ask._

_Reid nodded. "I already found a place and called the Realtor..."_

_"Dude he did research." Pogue said to Caleb._

_Reid through a french fry at him. "Shut up man." And they all shared a laugh._

_"I think it's a great idea." Caleb finally spoke. _

_"Really?" Pogue and Tyler asked simultaneously. _

_Caleb nodded. "Yeah Aubrey will keep Reid out of trouble."_

_"Ha, ha." Reid made a face just as his phone started ringing in his pocket. He scooted his chair back and pulled it out heading towards the front door of Nicky's for a quieter atmosphered. "Hello?" He answered._

_"Reid?"_

_"Aubrey, what's wrong?" Reid asked into the phone opening the door to Nicky's and stepping on to the front porch._

_"Well look up." Reid lifted his head and saw Aubrey walking towards him, Jack, Kate and Sarah giggling behind her as she walked towards him. At first he didn't register the problem until his eyes took in her whole form. Her hair was just passed her shoulders now, and she had bangs swept to the side, and it looked like layers had been razored in. And in the mid day sun Reid could see the black color of the hair on the underside that fit well with the dark red Auburn shade on the top of her hair. "Wow." Was all he managed as she stepped up to him._

_Aubrey brushed the bangs out of her eyes and looked up at him a shy smile on her face. "That a good wow or a 'what were you thinking wow'?" Aubrey asked._

_Reid stepped forward and let his fingers run through the shortened length of her hair. It was perfectly straight and looked different from the long curls he was used to seeing on her head. "Just wow." _

_"Ok say something else, I'm worried." Aubrey bit her lip nervously as Reid played with her hair. _

_Reid looked in to her eyes. "I...like it...It'll take some getting use to though."_

_"No you hate it, I can tell." Aubrey said softly._

_He shook his head and smiled at her. "No I like it."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes really." Reid cupped her face leaning down and kissing her lips softly. "You look beautiful." He said pulling back._

_"See I told you he'd like it." Jack came up alongside her. Her hair was the same but her tips were black. And Sarah had cut her hair to a short chin length keeping her soft side swept bangs. Reid looked up and saw all three girls standing behind Aubrey now. When his eyes landed on Kate his jaw dropped and he blinked repeatedly. "That's more the reaction we were hoping to get from Pogue." Jack laughed._

_Kate had pretty much chopped her hair off. It was short with bangs and the darkest brown now. "You think he'll like it?" Kate asked Reid._

_Reid closed his mouth and pulled Aubrey in to his side. "I can't answer that. But you ladies look stunning. What made you guys do this?"_

_Sarah smiled. "We needed a change before graduation and college. Aubrey wasn't going to and we sort of talked her in to it."_

_"I have a photo shoot next week so I couldn't really go crazy." Jack informed him._

_Reid nodded. "Well you ladies do look beautiful."_

_End flashback_

"Reid?" Aubrey questioned, the beautiful afternoon sun beating down on them. Aubrey wore a cream off the shoulder dress with black polka dots a black satin string tied just below her bust giving her a empire waistline.

"Sorry I was thinking about the other day." Reid admitted lifted the arm he had rested on the side of the table extended towards her and grasped her hand in his stopping her fingers from running against his forearm.

Aubrey smiled. "My hair?"

"Yeah. It's grown on me." Reid told her sweetly.

Linking her fingers with his Aubrey looked down at the table her bangs falling into her eyes. "Well I'm glad, I thought you were going to hate it."

"That would consist of hating you." Reid said logically. Aubrey lifted her head and saw the smirk on his face. "And I can do no such thing as hating you."

"Good." Aubrey said lightly. "So why exactly did you make me get dressed up just to go to lunch?"

"Cause it's your birthday, I'm your boyfriend, and I said so." Reid said grinning from ear to ear. Aubrey wasn't certain if she should adore that grin at the moment or be terrified. On one hand he was probably trying to surprise her in someway, on the other hand Reid's surprises could be a little overwhelming. Reid released her hand and pulled his blazer open and reached in to the inner pocket pulling out a white envelope. "This is part of your present."

Accepting the envelope Aubrey eyed it wearily. "What is it?" She asked looking up at Reid. The only thing written on the envelope was 'Sweets' in Reid's chicken scratch writing.

"Open it." Reid told her smiling.

Aubrey used her pointer finger to tare the sealed envelope open and pulled out it's contents. A card. A birthday car. Aubrey opened the card and inside it was blank a key taped to the card stock paper and simply stated below it was 'Happy birthday love Reid'. "I'm confused." Aubrey said honestly.

She took the key from the card stock and held it up into Reid's view. "Move in with me." Reid said suddenly.

Aubrey looked across the table at him stunned. "What? In to your parents house?" She asked completely and utterly confused at this point.

Reid chuckled lightly and shook his head. "No. I got this great loft in providence, close to Brown we can live there. Together." He explained to her.

Looking between the key and Reid, a genuinely excited smile placed itself on Aubrey's face. "Us live together? Seriously?"

Reid nodded. "Seriously."

"Ok." Aubrey nodded clutching the key in her hand. "But we don't have anything."

Reid shrugged. "That's what stores are for. So was that your mother's lawyer that called this morning?"

Aubrey nodded. "I just have to go in and sign something and the money will get put in to an account that only I can access. Do you think I'd have that inheritance if my mother hadn't have married Robert."

"You said her parents hated Nicky?" Aubrey nodded. "Probably not." He put in logically.

"Yeah I thought the same thing."

Reid gently took hold of her hand once again and felt the cold metal of the key in her palm. "Just think of it this way, they're gone and the money is yours because your mom wanted you to have it. And they can't stop you from having a relationship with Nicky."

Aubrey nodded. "I know. I just feel like some of what mom had should be his, but something tells me if I try to give him any of the money he wont want it."

"Probably not babe, but he got what he wanted. A relationship with you." This brought a teary smile to Aubrey's face. "No crying on your birthday." He teased.

Aubrey blinked back the tears and smiled back at him.

2Hrs Later:

"I just have to get the tickets to the movie. I'm sorry." Reid climbed out of the car, Aubrey did the same.

"No Reid it's fine."

"No we are going to be late now." Reid climbed the steps and Aubrey followed behind him to the front of the Garwin home.

"Reid, baby it's fine, don't stress about..." Reid pushed the door open.

Aubrey stepped through holding his hand, head looking down towards the ground. "SURPRISE!"

Aubrey's head snapped up and she jumped back releasing Reid's hand and covering her mouth with both hands eyes wide in shock. This she had not been expecting. Growing up with no friends and being use to spending her birthdays with just family she hadn't been expecting a surprise party.

Everyone was standing in the foyer of the Garwin home the chandelier lights lit illuminating the room, the stairwell covered in people. What stood out the most was Melinda, Randall and Nicky standing at the front of the crowd that were on the stairs. Everyone was dressed up, Kate, Pogue, Sarah, Caleb, Jack, Tyler and Val were all smiling at her.

Nicky was in a suit which made Aubrey want to giggle and cry at the same time. Reid turned standing in front of her and raised his arms in that boyishly cute way. "Happy birthday." He said a smile on his face.

Tears sprang to Aubrey's eyes. The girls came forward each to give Aubrey a hug. Jack hugged her still surprised form first. She wore a cute short cut light blue strapless dress with black polka dots and cute black heels. Her hair was in bouncy soft curls and her make-up light. Next was Sarah. She was in a pink and white strapless dress and plain white heels. Her hair was a straight but rough looking and she had on just some eyeliner and mascara.

Val hugged her and Aubrey finally managed a hug back, her shock slowly dissipating. Val wore a black dress with elegant designs that was cut short and black heals. Her hair was a subtle mess in Aubrey's opinion. And her usual heavy smoky eye and light gloss occupied her face. "Happy Birthday Aubs." Val said to her.

Aubrey got one last hug from Kate who was in a pink crocheted dress with a black underlining that hugged her form and hung low just passed her mid thigh along with light pink heals to match. Her hair was styled perfectly and her make-up was elegant.

When the girls finished their hugs Reid stepped forward smiling at her. "Sweets?"

Aubrey looked up at him her shock having worn off a little tears still in her eyes. "You jerk." She shoved him a playful smile on her face. "You're gonna make me cry in front of all these people." She said wiping the tears that were falling already.

Reid wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in her neck. "What did I say about crying on your birthday?" He whispered in her ear.

Aubrey lifted her head and smiled at him sweetly. "Thank you." She said softly.

Reid pecked her cheek and used his thumbs to wipe at the slight smudges of make-up under her eyes. "All better." He kissed her forehead and put his arm around her shoulder leading her over to the others.

"Happy birthday dear." Melinda gave her a one armed hug.

Aubrey smiled. "Thanks. I thought..."

"We fly out tonight, but we thought we should be here for your birthday." Randall said and then patted Nicky on the shoulder. "And we invited someone I haven't seen in years."

Reid gave them a confused look. "Wait you know each other?" He asked pointing between Randall and Nicky.

Randall nodded. "Before Nicky's was Nicky's it was Rick's. I use to hang out there in my high school days, Nicky too."

"So you knew my mom?" Aubrey asked slightly bewildered.

Randall nodded. "I knew her then and back when you and Reid were probably about five-ish and your fa...Robert was getting on his feet as Provost at Spencer Academy. You probably don't remember having dinner here a few times."

Aubrey shook her head. "No I don't."

Melinda smiled. "Reid use to terrorize you. He probably doesn't remember it either. Your mother and I were pretty good friends until your father started disliking Reid so much."

"Ah Robert just had a stick up his ass all that time about you choosing me." Randall said smugly a familiar Garwin grin on his face.

Aubrey and Reid laughed lightly and Aubrey stepped up in front of Nicky to give him a hug. "Happy Birthday baby girl." Nicky had taken to calling her baby girl a while back and Aubrey really liked it, unsure why, but she did.

"You clean up nice." She said stepping back.

Nicky smiled. "I try."

The four of them shared a laugh and the other's came over. "So were you surprised?" Val asked sarcastically.

Throwing her a 'did you not see my face' look Aubrey nodded. "Yes I was really surprised. I was expecting something from Reid just not this." Aubrey answered. She looked next to her at her boyfriend. "I've never had a surprise party."

Reid nodded. "I know."

"Thank you this was very sweet." Aubrey said tiptoeing up and kissing his cheek.

"And there's cake and presents and Georgie couldn't be here for the surprise but she is bringing dinner. Cause lord knows I can't cook." Melinda laughed lightly.

"Well thank you all for the party." Aubrey said her arm slipping back around Reid's waist.

"Come on let's go in to the living room and wait for Georgie to get here. We'll talk, have dinner, dessert and presents." Melinda said happily.

Aubrey and Reid agreed along with the others and headed in to the living room to talk. So it wasn't much of a party, but it was the kind of party Moreen would've thrown for Aubrey if she'd had friends. And that's all Aubrey needed to know.

"So a tie?" Aubrey asked grabbing Nicky's tie as she perched on the arm rest of Reid's chair next to the couch Nicky was seated on.

Nicky chuckled. "Yeah."

"I'm still shocked you guys knew each other." Tyler said looking between Nicky and Randall.

Randall shrugged. "It was a long time ago."

"You should of seen Randy walking in to the bar he looked so out of place in his suit." Nicky chuckled roughly.

The teens laughed as well. "I'd can only imagine." Reid smirked at his father. "So 'Randy'?" He questioned his father.

Randall pursed his lips. "Back in the day when I was younger, my friends called me Randy." He informed his son.

"Your father was a lot like you are now Reid, back when he was younger." Melinda informed him.

"What are you saying? I'm still young." Randall grinned placing his arm around Melinda's waist. Reid hadn't really seen them act this way in a long time. And he liked it.

"Oh, darling let's change the subject. These kids don't want to hear us adults banter." Melinda said with a soft laugh.

"Why don't you tell us stories from when you guys hung out?" Kate offered.

The guys, Sarah, Kate, Aubrey and Val agreed with Kate. "You really want us to tell you stories?" Melinda asked and she looked at Aubrey.

Aubrey smiled and nodded. "I'd love to hear stories."

Melinda smiled. "Alright. Nicky, why don't you and Randall tell the story about the night you tried to teach Moe and I how to shoot pool?"

Nicky and Randall both cracked up laughing for a moment before slowing gathering themselves. "That was a catastrophe." Randall chuckled lightly.

"Wait who's Moe?" Reid questioned confused.

Melinda smiled. "I gave Moreen the nickname Moe."

"Well I guess it all started when the girls challenge Randy and I to a game of pool..." Nicky started the story.

About a half hour later the front door opened and closed and Georgie appeared in the living room a few moments later carrying a large baking dish. "Hello everyone! Nicky, it's good to see you. You look well." She smiled at him.

It was a little baffling to the teens that Nicky knew any of their parents, but Ipswich was a small town and bars were universal places for all locals to hang out. So now they would just have to get use to it.

Nicky smiled at her and stood offering to take the dish. Georgie gladly accepted his offer with a hefty sigh. "Who knew pot pie could be so heavy?" She joked with a soft laugh as she sarcastically wiped at her brow.

The teens gave light chuckles of amusement and stood following Georgie and Nicky towards the kitchen. "Pot pie?" Aubrey asked Georgie.

Georgie turned to her and smiled as she set her purse on the kitchen island. "Yes, dear. Reid said it was your favorite. I hope you don't mind I called and got your mother's recipe from your fathers housekeeper."

A smile grew on Aubrey's face as she shook her head. "No, I don't mind at all." She said sweetly.

"Good." Georgie smiled and stepped up to her opening her arms, Aubrey stepped forward receiving and returning a hug. "Happy Birthday."

Aubrey laughed happily as she pulled away. "Thank you. I'm surprised you went to all the trouble."

"Oh no it was no trouble. Lord knows if I'd have left it up to Mel we all might've gone to the hospital with food poisoning." She teased her friend with a crooked smile tossed over her shoulder in Melinda's direction.

Melinda smiled slightly offended as her jaw dropped a little in shock. "It wouldn't have been that bad."

"Yeah mom it would've." Reid stepped in jokingly.

Melinda made a face. "I guess I can't be too offended since my last attempt at cooking ended with a nine year old Reid calling in take out pizza."

Reid laughed. "I remember that."

"As do the rest of us." Pogue put in.

"Yeah, that concoction was..." Caleb tried to put it nicely as he scratched the back of his neck.

"A good attempt." Tyler stated.

"Exactly." The three guys stated nodding vigorously.

Melinda smiled. "No it was awful I know. That's why I've never attempted it again."

Aubrey felt for her and offered her a kind smile. "I can give you some pointers if you want." She offered. Reid grinned at her putting his arm around her waist. He loved that his girlfriend got along with his mother so well.

Melinda smiled. "I'd like that."

"She's a hard student." Georgie teased.

Aubrey winked at her. "I have a way with Garwin's." She said jokingly.

Randall, Melinda and Reid all had a good chuckle and the other soon joined in. "Well, shall we eat." Sarah asked once everyone had calmed.

"Yeah. Val would you mind grabbing the plates, while I get the silverware and napkins?" Reid questioned. Val nodded and went to the cabinet to retrieve the plates.

As Reid retrieved the silverware Aubrey moved to grab the napkins while the other teens followed Val in to the dining area to help set the plates around the table. Nicky carried the baking dish while Georgie retrieved some champagne glasses and Randall grabbed the bottles of Sparkling Cider and went in to the dining room.

"No." Reid said grabbing Aubrey's wrist before she could grab the napkins.

"Ouch. What?" She asked rubbing her wrist jokingly a smile lighting her eyes.

"It's your birthday. You don't do any of the work. I'll get the napkins." Reid told her with a smirk.

Aubrey pouted. "Its just napkins."

"Then it shouldn't bother you too much should it." Reid said triumphantly as she huffed playfully. Reid grabbed the napkins and turned fully facing her. "You are the birthday girl just let me handle it."

Relenting Aubrey nodded and received a delicate kiss on the lips in return. "Reid sweetheart will you grab a serving spoon as well please." Melinda said peeking around the door frame.

Reid opened the drawer once more a retrieved a large serving spoon as well. He offered his arm to Aubrey with a grin and she wrapped her arm around his and they headed to the dining room together. "There she is. Birthday girl gets the first serving." Georgie said taking the foil off the hot food.

Aubrey smiled taking the seat Caleb had pulled out for her and he went and sat next to Sarah. Reid quickly set the silverware around the table and took a seat to Aubrey's left. Val to his left, Jack next to Val and Tyler on the other side of Jack. Pogue was next to Kate across from Tyler and Kate was in between Pogue and Sarah. Georgie and Nicky were seated on the other end. Nicky was next to Aubrey and Georgie was next to Caleb. Melinda and Randall on either end of the long table.

Quickly the food was served and everyone was sitting around enjoying their food. "This is really good. I haven't had pot pie like this since..." Nicky paused and glanced down at his plate.

"You can talk about her, it's ok." Aubrey nudged his arm slightly.

Nicky glanced over at her and smiled slightly. "I know, sometimes it just hurts."

A smiled turned up the corners of her mouth. "It does, but the more you talk about her the less we forget. Besides I can make pot pie anytime and it looks like Georgie has it down pretty well." Georgie glanced up just as Nicky did and caught his eye a light blush on her cheeks and Tyler and Aubrey looked at each other a bit bewildered by the sudden shyness in the two adults.

After getting back to the conversation everything got all sorts of switched up. "So Val your parents sent you away because your lesbian?" Melinda questioned.

Aubrey giggled slightly and Val's suddenly alarmed look. "Don't worry they don't care." Reid assured her.

Val nodded. "Yes, they think it's wrong for me to be in love with another girl."

"Well you can't help who you fall in love with." Nicky stated.

Aubrey smiled. "Yeah look at me, I fell in love with Reid Garwin, enough said."

Reid made a funny face at her. "Shut up you love me." He said smugly.

"Reid use to sneak in to the girls bathrooms and write his phone number on the back of stall doors and then underneath he would write 'call for a good time'." Aubrey informed everyone laughing softly.

"I did not." Reid said in defense.

Aubrey nodded. "I would see it and laugh thinking you probably wrote it. And I was more sure after I started tutoring you and saw your hand writing." Reid crossed his arms and pouted. "But I love you." She added sweetly.

"But my parents really wont have a say after I graduate high school." Val said to everyone to change the topic once again.

Topics soon changed again as dinner slowly perished from their plates. "So who is ready for presents?" Reid asked his arm resting atop the back of Aubrey's chair.

"What about the cake?" Melinda asked her son.

"It can wait, right Sweets?" Reid looked over at her and she grinned and nodded.

"It can." She agreed.

To Be Continued...

AN: Ok I know I know its been forever and a day since I last update and I am extremely sorry. Things have been very hectic lately. One of our girls quit and started another job and no one could pick up her shifts except for me. So I've taken on not only my usual hours but hers as well, not to mention there's weeks were I work 8 days sometimes 9 in a row. Crazy...this last two days I've been off, just resting, taking my time to just chill. So yeah. But the next chapter wont be far away...PROMISE!! Also I will be posting some pics up tonight on my homepage check em out


	30. It's What I Always Wanted

Chapter 29: It's What I Always Wanted

"Ok, ok...everybody quiet." Randall stated loudly so that the bickering teens would cease their arguments. "I'm sure all of you got Aubrey something magnificent. And it doesn't matter what gift she opens first." He said sighing shaking his head.

Aubrey giggled. She'd been amused by her friends bantering over what gifts she would open first. There were some very cute gift bags placed on the table in front of her, she was sure the girls did those, one wrapped in news paper that she had a feeling was from Pogue, and two of them were sitting neatly wrapped in purple paper with a bright white and black polka dot ribbon tied on neatly, which she had a feeling were Tyler's and he had help wrapping them from his mother and Jack.

"Well how about to settle the argument, you open my gift first." Nicky stated. He held out a small flat three by three jewelry box with a pink bow on top. "Sorry it's not wrapped nicely, I never got the hang of that."

Aubrey smiled and turned looking at her friends who had ceased their arguments now and were sitting just watching her. "It's ok." She said and opened the box, inside was a silver chain a white gold class ring attached to it. When she pulled the chain from the box and held it up to examine the ring she gasped. "Is this..."

"It was your mother's class ring." Nicky confirmed.

Smiling brightly Aubrey reached over and gave him a hug. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Nicky said giving her a side hug before she sat properly back in her own chair.

"Mine next." Val said and Aubrey turned her head just in time to see the package fly across the table at her. She caught it and laughed lightly at the way Val had given her the gift.

"Val it's not even wrapped." Tyler rolled his eyes jokingly.

Val nodded. "I know. I was lazy, sue me."

Aubrey looked down to the gift in her hand. "It's in the sock right? It's not the sock." Aubrey asked Val sarcastically.

Val laughed and nodded. "Yeah it's in the sock." Val had put the gift inside a sock and made it in to a ball.

Aubrey managed to get the sock out of ball form and dumped the contents on the table. Twirling on the wooden surface of the table was a plastic egg. Aubrey picked it up and opened it, inside was a folded piece of paper. Written on the fold was 'This one is on me. Happy B-day Aubs – Val'. Aubrey unfolded the paper and found a picture of simple triquetra simply sketched on the paper.

"Mind, body, and soul." Aubrey murmured and looked up at Val. "How'd you know about this?" She asked.

Val grinned. "You have a picture of yourself as a little girl examining your mother's wrist...I just looked closer."

Aubrey smiled. "I love it thank you."

"No problem, just let me know when you want to go, I need some new ink done to." Aubrey agreed and another present was shoved in front of her.

"This is from Caleb and I." Sarah said. It was a decent sized gift bag, black with hot pink tissue sticking out of the top neatly. Aubrey pulled the tissue from the bag and reached her hand inside and pulled out a black Betsey Johnson Tote bag. "We thought you could use it next year." Sarah told her.

Aubrey smiled. "It's wonderful thank you."

"You could probably fit your whole life in that thing." Reid joked leaning casually in his chair.

Aubrey giggled. "Well my laptop would fit in here, so I think you are right." Kate pushed a bag towards her.

"This one is from me, Pogue wanted to get you something different." She said eying her boyfriend. "So be afraid, be very afraid."

This made everyone laugh. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Aubrey said smiling taking the tissue out of the small blue gift bag with dark purple tissue. She pulled out the contents which happened to be a gold box, she lifted the lid and saw a beautiful watch with sea charms inside the glass. "Kate it's beautiful thank you."

"You're welcome."

Next Jack and Tyler handed her the neatly stacked packages that Aubrey had originally thought were from them anyways. "Mom's gift is the card." Tyler told her.

"The card." Caleb sighed and shook his head. Sarah giggled. "That's what I forgot."

"It's ok." Sarah giggled.

"Looks like Mr. Wonderful isn't so wonderful all the time." Reid mocked him.

Aubrey smacked Reid in the arm. "Be nice." She ordered him playfully.

Pulling the card out from beneath the neatly tied ribbon Aubrey opted to open it first. "Best wishes to you..." Aubrey opened the card, that had a cute puppy wearing a birthday hat on it's head. "On your birthday. Georgie." She finished reading the card allowed and pulled out the mini envelope inside opening it as well. Inside was a hundred dollar visa gift card. "Oh wow, Georgie this is way too much."

Georgie shook her head and smiled. "No it's not."

Aubrey knew it was useless to argue with the people surrounding her, so she just smiled and thanked Georgie for the gift card and set it to the side. Next was Tyler and Jack's gift and she opened one to find the Nightmare before Christmas on DVD and the other was a hand painted shot glass with fireworks on it and a recipe for the shot. "Aren't I still too young for this?" Aubrey questioned them.

Jack nodded and smiled. "Meh, I figured you needed something to collect and those are so cute. They have one with gum balls all over it that I wanted to get for you, but I liked the fireworks better."

Aubrey grinned. "It is cute, I'll have to keep my eye out for more." Jack had pestered Aubrey one day about why she had no collectibles or hobbies and Aubrey simply had no answer. She'd just never collected anything. "And Nightmare before Christmas, Ty you listen so well, I love this movie."

"I know." Tyler grinned.

Last on the table unopened was Pogue's gift wrapped in newspaper. "Dude." Reid chuckled looking up at Pogue.

Pogue smirked. "What it's the funnies." He said sarcastically. "Sorry for the wrapping Aubrey."

"I'm not, I love it, it's the most originally wrapped gift I've ever gotten." She said smiling at him.

Reid jokingly scoffed and Aubrey flicked her hand out hitting him in the stomach. "What? Jeez you're abusive." He teased.

Rolling her eyes Aubrey set her eyes back on the newspaper package. It was decent sized and Aubrey couldn't really figure it out and she tore the newspaper off to find a simple leather jacket. "Pogue this is really great thanks." Aubrey said happily. The jacket was the perfect style with the right collar that she liked and it was form fitting, and probably warm it would be great for winter.

"Yeah no problem. I think everyone needs at least one leather jacket in their closet." He said.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Says the motorcycle maniac." She joked.

Everyone laughed lightly until Melinda came over and set and small box down in front of Aubrey. "And this is from Randall and I. Hope you like it dear." Melinda said patting her shoulder.

"Oh you didn't have to get me anything." Aubrey said picking up the long black skinny box.

"Well we did." Randall said and smiled at her.

Aubrey smiled back and lifted the lid of the box. Inside was a chain bracelet a horseshoe charm attached with alternating aquamarine and diamond stones in it. "Oh look Reid, our birthstones." Aubrey said mesmerized by the bracelet.

"Yeah look at that." Reid smirked over at his parents.

"Here Reid put it on for me." Aubrey asked sweetly holding the box out to him. He took the bracelet from its box and she held up her left wrist and he slipped the bar through the loop and it held closed. "It's wonderful thank you so much." Aubrey said smiling.

A little while later Reid and Tyler came back in to the dinning room after excusing themselves from the light conversation, with the cake. It was three layers, two of which were decorated zebra print and one was plain blue. Black and blue gum balls surrounded the edging of each layer and on the top layer the number 18 was pipped on. And painted white chocolate stars were attached to thin wires and placed randomly into the cake.

The group began singing happy birthday as Aubrey blushed profusely from the attention as Reid and Tyler set the cake on the table, one single candle lit on the top of the cake. When they finished singing Reid reached his hand out and Aubrey placed hers in it and he pulled her up from her chair. "Happy birthday Sweets, make a wish." He said grinning at her.

Aubrey grinned back and leaned forward wishing silently to herself and lightly blew out the candle. Everyone cheered and applauded while Sarah became the busy bee and started to prep the cake for serving. Reid put his arm around Aubrey's waist, everyone beginning to stand from their chairs, they'd take a slice of cake and head in to the front room to sit more comfortably. "What did you wish for?" Reid whispered in her ear.

"It wont come true if I tell you." Aubrey replied lightly.

Reid kissed her cheek. "True."

"Aubrey here you go." Sarah handed her a piece of cake across the table.

"I'll share mine with Reid, I'm really full." Aubrey told her before Sarah could cut Reid a piece as well.

Sarah nodded. "Ok." She smiled and picked up the last two plates handing one to Caleb and they headed to the front room.

Reid grabbed the slice Sarah had given to Aubrey and two forks. "I need to hurry up and get these people out of here so we can celebrate the rest of your birthday in private." Reid said heading towards the front room.

Aubrey giggled. "Yes you do." She said lightly still standing in the dinning room, Reid having not heard what she said. She followed after him and found him sitting in the comfortable lazy boy chair alone and she walked over and perched herself in his lap taking the fork he offered her.

Later On:

"Well we must be getting on, our flight leaves in three hours and we have to be checked in an hour before take off." Randall stood and so did Melinda. "Happy birthday Aubrey."

Aubrey stood up from Reid's lap and walked over to them. "Thank you so much for coming." She said. Melinda gave the younger girl a hug.

"You're welcome." Melinda said pulling away. "Your mother would've been so proud of the young woman you've become." She said lightly.

A smile graced Aubrey's lips. "Thanks."

Randall gave her a smile and took Melinda's hand. "Reid we expect the house in one piece when we return with Grandma Dorothy in a week." He said sternly.

Reid nodded. "Yeah dad, I know."

"Good, we'll see you soon." Melinda said and waved to the kids in goodbye as her and Randall left the house.

"I should be going as well." Nicky said as he stood.

Aubrey smiled and walked over to him and he opened his arms for a hug. "Thanks for coming. And dressing up." She said sweetly.

"Happy birthday baby girl." Nicky said squeezing her tightly. When they pulled away Georgie standing caught Aubrey's eye and she turned her head.

"I should leave as well, it's late. Nicky would you mind giving me a lift? I brought Tyler's Hummer and I would like to give him some alone time with Jack." She asked kindly.

Nicky nodded. "Sure." With that Georgie wished Aubrey a happy birthday and bid farewell to the other teens.

"Well I think the rest of us should get the hell outta here and leave the birthday girl to celebrate with her boyfriend." Val stated bluntly making everyone laugh.

Aubrey wasn't embarrassed by the comment cause dammit she wanted to be alone with her boyfriend and Val was absolutely right. Jack, Sarah and Kate all stood up with Val and the girls gave Aubrey a group hug. "Happy birthday." They said together.

"Thanks guys. Now go enjoy the rest of your evenings." She said laughing softly.

Jack broke away first with a grin. "Yeah Ty, lets um go to that place..." She said mysteriously.

Tyler chuckled and stood. "Later guys." He grinned and grabbed Jack's hand and they left the Garwin residence. Next to go were Pogue and Kate and after them was Sarah, Val and Caleb. Sarah was going to stay the night with Caleb, but they had offered to give Val a ride back to the dorms.

"Alone at last." Reid smirked and wrapped his arms around Aubrey from behind and buried his face in her shoulder. Aubrey gently nuzzled her cheek against his and sighed.

"Yes we are." Blissfulness was evident in her voice as Reid's lips began trailing tender butterfly kisses along her bare shoulder. "Reid?" Aubrey breathed out.

Reid lifted his head and Aubrey turned in his embrace. "Hmm?" He questioned his lips moving to kiss along her jaw.

Aubrey let out a shaky sigh before kissing his lips hungrily. But only seconds later she broke away. "Catch me." She whispered pulling out of his grasp and giggling before running off out of the room.

Smirking to himself Reid went after her. He could here the door to his downstairs apartment creaking shut and made his way down the stairs slowly. He opened the door at the bottom of the stairs and shut it behind himself. As his eyes scanned the dark living room of his apartment he heard a soft giggle.

"Hey." Aubrey breathed out laughing softly. He turned his body around to find his girlfriend leaning against the wall, her shoes laying haphazardly next to her bare feet a look of mischief in her eyes.

"I thought I was supposed to catch you?" Reid smirked.

"I decided to make myself easy prey." Aubrey replied cunningly. Reid made his way over to her and Aubrey's eyes lit with a gentle smile as Reid's hands grabbed her waist and he leaned in to her, pressing her back completely against the wall behind her.

Aubrey saw the lustful twinkle in Reid's eyes his lips firm in a crooked sweet grin as he moved his face closer to her own. "Well in that case." He said lightly before his lips pressed firmly to that of Aubrey's remaining gentle as their lips worked together. Aubrey put all the fears she had about what she was going to tell him aside and put all her worth in to that kiss.

Her fingers lightly trailing up his clothed torso reaching for the top buttons of his shirt and she began to undo them slowly but surely each button came undone. Taking in a deep breath through her nose and letting out a soft gasp into Reid's mouth, as his hands moved around grabbing her backside forcefully, she let out a faint giggle and nipped his bottom lip then broke away slightly from the kiss. "Reid?"

"Yeah Sweets?" He asked, his lips moving over her chin and down her jaw to the side of her neck.

"I want to tell you something." She said lightly.

Reid pulled away from her neck and looked down in to her eyes. "What's wrong?"

A minute smile graced her lips and she held his gaze. "Nothings wrong. I just have something I need to tell you." He nodded in understanding and Aubrey decided to continue. "I'm ready."

"As in..." Reid trailed off giving her a look.

Aubrey averted her gaze to that of Reid's exposed torso, his shirt hung open untucked, her hands clenched in his dress shirt she returned her gaze to his. "Yes." She said breathlessly.

Reid's left hand came up, his fingers ghosting over her cheek into her hair as his right moved from her derrière to around her waist pulling her up flush against his lean body slowly. "Only if you want to." He said as he pressed his forehead to her own. "Are you sure?" He questioned.

"I am." She spoke softly. "Besides I think I've made you wait long enough." She added jokingly with a soft laugh.

Reid smiled. "I can keep waiting to." He said sweetly.

"No. No more waiting." Aubrey shook her head slightly pulling her forehead back from Reid's a little.

"Are you sure you're healed enough? Maybe it's to soon with your injuries. I don't want to cause you more pain." He said lightly.

Aubrey unclenched her right hand from his shirt and brought it up caressing his cheek softly and cupping her hand gently against his jaw. "Reid I'm fine." He sighed. "But you seem to be putting up road blocks." She said gently.

He shook his head. "No, not intentionally." Reid sighed heavily. "I just...I'm nervous I guess."

"About?" Aubrey questioned licking her dry lips.

"About it not being everything you want. And a bit about hurting you, last week you were still in pain and now..." Reid trailed off.

Aubrey giggled breathlessly. "Reid, as long as I'm with you it'll be everything and more then I've ever imagined. I love you and I trust you. And I trust myself to know that I'm healed enough for this. I wouldn't be telling you I'm ready if I knew it could cause me pain." She tiptoed up kissing him lightly on the lips and pulled back. Reid followed her lips and kissed her again.

"I've heard...read somewhere..." Reid murmured nervously.

But Aubrey knew what he was trying to say. "It will a little. But it's alright."

Reid nodded kissing her again massaging her lips gently with his own. Aubrey pushed in to him and Reid started stumbling back chuckling huskily as their lips broke away. "Jeez Sweets, not even going to romance me first." Reid teased.

Aubrey giggled and teasingly steered Reid into a side table by the main door as she continued pushing him back, thus making him trip a little into it. "Like you weren't about to rip my clothes off and have your way with me right there." She said into his ear as she pressed him against the wall now next to the side table.

"Good point." He smirked.

"I don't have many demands about how we do this, but I do demand that my first time be in a bed." Aubrey nipped his earlobe and heard him groan with satisfaction as her teeth caught on his gage and pulled a little.

When she released his gage Reid gained enough composer to think properly and moved down breaking her other hands hold on his shirt and scooping her up in his arms bridal style and started walking the rest of the way to his bedroom door. Walking in to the room he walked straight over to his bed and set Aubrey down so she was seated on the end of the bed atop his dark bedding.

Standing fully erect he slipped off his dress shirt and used a little to untie his boots and kicked them off as well. Aubrey watched as he knelled down before her taking her hands from his mattress and holding them gently in his own. He looked up at her. "We'll go slow, if you want to stop..."

"I wont." Aubrey said assertively.

Reid sighed. "If you want to stop, just tell me." Aubrey smiled at how sweet he was being and nodded in understanding.

"Ok." She said softly and then took her hands from his grasp and raised her arms over her head. Reid moved his hands to her thighs and clutched the hem of her dress and started to lift it up. Aubrey stood slightly so he could get the dress from beneath her sitting derrière and then sat back down as he lifted it up and off of her body. When he tossed the dress to the side and then brought his attention back to Aubrey he had to smile.

Her hands came up and gently cupped his face as she sat before him only clothed in a skimpy pair of pink panties. Reid's eyes roamed her nude body like they always seemed to do when he saw all of her. When he was visually satisfied he leaned forward pressing his lips in light butterfly kisses along her abdomen over that of her tattoo.

Aubrey moved her fingers in to his hair as his lips ghosted over her soft firm skin. "Mmm..." She moaned before letting out a soft gasp as his teeth tugged on the barbell in her belly button.

Grinning to himself Reid moved up her torso coming to her supple breasts taking one delicate rose bud nipple between his lips he palmed the other gently taking his time on both switching his lips and hand a few moments in. When he felt content he'd shown them enough attention he pulled his head back hearing soft murmurs from his girlfriend as her neck rolled from side to side enjoying the pleasure he was impacting on her body.

When Aubrey's eyes shifted down, finally noticing the lack of his mouth and hand on her breasts, she saw his eyes on her and let out a small grin as she gripped his hair and pulled him up to kiss her, his body moving out of the kneeling position and he straightened his legs and kept his torso leaned down as their lips worked together furiously.

As soon as they parted Aubrey's fingers left his hair and he stood tall as her hands wandered down his chest to his pants and undid the fasteners and pushed them down his legs. Reid stepped out of his pants standing before Aubrey now in only his gray boxers. She pushed herself back further on the been grinning at him and Reid couldn't helping thinking how feral she looked moving back like that. He'd seen her naked on, now, numerous occasions and she was perfect to him. Aubrey's body was immaculate. Her breasts firm and not to small they seemed to fit perfectly in his palm, her torso was lean but not straight, she had curves and a nice waistline.

"Well are you going to join me or stare at me?" Aubrey smirked.

Reid climbed up on the bed and over her kissing a path up her body to her lips. "You really are amazingly gorgeous." He mumbled against her lips.

"And you are stalling." She giggled lightly as her hands gripped the top of his boxers and began tugging them down.

A husky growl emitted from Reid's lips and he helped her remove his boxers leaving her the only one with any scrap of clothing. "I'm not stalling I'm taking my time." He brushed his lips against hers. "I want to remember every moan, gasp, and whimper that you make tonight. I want you wet and ready." Aubrey never thought she'd like dirty talk, but she found it highly arousing. "I want to have you screaming my name when you cum..." He whispered in this deep sexy voice biting down on her ear lobe making her whimper softly.

Aubrey's hands trailed down his chest and she grabbed a hold of his throbbing erection. "Don't make me wait." She whispered as her hand glided smoothly up and down his shaft.

Reid's hands fisted in the black comforter beneath her body closing his eyes as he tried to think of anything but her hand. "Sweets, baby, you keep doing that and this wont last long." He growled.

Her hand ceased and her thumb gently ran over the head of his engorged erection. A shaky breath escaped Reid's lips and he grabbed the comforter beneath her body tight in his fists and pulled it down without disturbing her form, almost like a magic trick. Aubrey giggled at his show of masculinity and watched as he pulled the comforter over his body, acting as a heat barrier and a slight tent over Aubrey's lower half.

The next thing to go were the skimpy pink panties left on Aubrey's body. They were ripped away forcefully and Reid attacked her neck with his lips. "Mmm..." Aubrey loved it when Reid was sweet to her, but she also liked his dirtier rougher side. He'd shown her a rougher side and she'd found it highly arousing.

His fingers trailed down her flawless skin over her belly ring and down between her legs. Two digits slipped passed her wet folds making her low back arch upward. Reid's lips kissed down her collarbone to her breasts nipping playfully at her pert dusty rose nipples before continuing down to her abdomen tugging at her piercing once again before moving back up. Aubrey's breaths began to come faster and heavier as the twisting aches in her abdomen started to grow. "Reid...please..." She whimpered lustfully.

Reid brought his lips back to hers and kissed her hard then broke away. "I don't want..."

Aubrey's eyes lulled back for a second and she maneuvered her legs around Reid's waist and with a force she didn't know she possessed she flipped them over, in the process Reid's hand left her wet center grabbing on to her hips with both as she sat precariously low on his waist. After the shock wore off of what she'd managed to do Aubrey grinned down at him and leaned down to kiss him lightly. "Reid I'm ready and I appreciate you trying to spare me pain, it'll only ever hurt once." She kissed him again.

Too shocked by her forwardness Reid didn't have much time to think before she grabbed him and guided herself down on his stiff erection a groan the only thing indicating that he felt it.

Aubrey had decided to take the initiative to get things farther, since Reid was so bent on not hurting her. And while she appreciated that kindness from him the pain was the least of her worries. When she felt him gliding inside of her she started breathing slowly knowing it was going to hurt a little as she pressed further she could feel her body resisting and just plummeted with all her might downward. A groan escaped her boyfriend as she gasped from the rush of pain she felt. It was more then the pinch she'd thought it would be, but she knew the pain would decrease.

Reid sat up pressing kisses to her lips, her eyes clenched shut. "Are you ok?" He asked the shock of what she's just willing done having worn off a bit, but still in the back of his mind.

Aubrey groaned faintly and nodded her head resting her forehead against his and opening her eyes. "Yeah. Just give me a minute." She whispered.

Reid nodded his head kissing along her neck and shoulder as his hands massaged her hips gently, his fingertips kneading her flesh. After a long pause Aubrey's started adjusting her her lower half. Wiggling a little, adjusting to the suddenly full sensation she was feeling. "Ok." She breathed out. The pain wasn't completely subsided, but it was less and she wanted to continue.

"You sure?" Reid asked lightly looking her in the eyes. Aubrey nodded and felt his hands cease their rhythmic massage and grip her hips tight. He helped lift her up a little ways and she sank back down. The first few times was a bit awkward for both lovers but eventually they both got into it. Aubrey pushed Reid back so his back was flat against the mattress and she braced her hands on his abdomen and began lifting herself up and driving back down while slowly rocking her hips forward and back.

Casually Reid met her tender thrusts for a while before rolling them over so Aubrey was beneath him. He leaned down kissing her eagerly as he reentered her silky warm cavity and grabbed her left thigh pulling her leg up so it could wrap around his waist. The change created a different friction for both and they both began breathing heavily from the sensations that were brewing inside of their bodies.

Reid's thrusts were tender but diligent and rapidly picking up speed. "Oh...oh god..." Aubrey cried out feeling the same swell of burning fire in her abdomen she felt when Reid performed oral on her body, but this swell was thicker and laced with more heat than she'd ever felt. Like she'd shatter into a million pieces at any second.

A grunt was all she got in return as Reid tucked his face into her neck breathing harder as sweat gathered on their bodies creating a sweet slickness as they moved together. Aubrey met ever thrust almost as if she knew his bodies actions before he did, but wasn't that what it was all about? Knowing each others moves and needs?

Aubrey stopped thinking the moment Reid sent her mind into oblivion shattering her thoughts with a mind blowing orgasm, the likes of which she'd never experienced. She breathed rapidly her body clenching and unclenching in glorious ways around him as the orgasm traveled quickly from the center of her body all the way up to her head and down to her toes. His name tore from her lips as she arched off the bed letting the sensations chorus through her.

"Shit." Reid hissed and quickly pulled his throbbing erection from her dripping core in time to release on his sheets.

When he collapsed to the mattress on the other side of Aubrey he grabbed her and pulled her body up against his, away from the mess he'd left on the shits and into his arms hold her hot sweaty body next to his.

Neither spoke for a few minutes, both enjoying the harsh ragged wheezing of air the other was letting in and out. After a few moments Aubrey took and released a deep breath calming her lungs. "Wow." She said softly.

Reid chuckled lightly. "Very cliché Sweets." He managed around his still rushed breaths.

Aubrey giggled lightly. "You have no idea what you just did to me." She replied.

"Clue me in." Reid retorted.

"Just wow." Aubrey teased snuggling in to his side and closing her eyes.

All Reid wanted to do after that was sleep as well, but one thing needed to be done first. "Sweets?"

"Hm?" She hummed.

"We need to shower." He spoke lightly his hand gently stroking through her hair.

"Why?" Aubrey complained.

Reid smiled lightly looking down at her small frame curled against his body. "Just trust me." He spoke as he removed the covers from their heated bodies. Aubrey shivered from the cool air that breezed over her sweat soaked skin. Reid climbed off the bed and turned back around grabbing Aubrey up and she moaned in displeasure, but wrapped her arms around his neck all the same.

Carrying her in to the bathroom, Reid kicked the door shut behind him out of habit and walked towards the shower. "Can't we just sleep?" Aubrey grunted.

"We will." Reid stepped in to the shower and the door gently sealed itself shut behind them. Carefully he set Aubrey so she was standing upright and then turned the water on. The warm water felt really good on his damp skin. Rinsing off quickly he turned back towards Aubrey and saw a small drip off blood running down her leg and pulled her under the faucet. "Thats why." He whispered in her ear.

Aubrey looked downward where she saw Reid looking and saw a small bit of a pink line down her leg. "Normal." She murmured resting her head on his chest as the water did its job washing their bodies.

After a few minutes of Reid holding an exhausted Aubrey in the shower he let her go. "Stay here, I'm going to go change the sheets." He kissed her forehead and Aubrey woke herself up enough to clean her body with some soap and shampoo her hair. She turned the shower head off shortly after and climbed out of the shower and grabbed a towel from the rack wrapping it around her body.

She towel dried her hair and brushed it out with Reid's brush and then went out in to the bedroom to find Reid laying out a new comforter on the fresh clean gray sheets. He was wearing boxers now and the water from the shower had evaporated into his skin, but his hair was still damp. "Can we go to sleep now?" She asked a smile on her lips.

Reid turned his head to look at her and smiled nodding. "Yeah we can sleep now. Need a shirt?" He asked climbing into his bed. Aubrey walked over to the bed, dropped her towel and pulled back to covers climbing in next to him.

"Nope." She said and snuggled up to his body. Reid grinned wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"You are something else Sweets. I love you." He kissed her forehead.

Aubrey smiled. "Love you too." She lifted her tilted her head and kissed his chin lightly before nestling down into the mattress and cuddling closer to his body for more warmth. The warmth plus the sexual workout that had exhausted her energy put her to sleep right away.

Reid lay awake listening to her even breathing and gently running his fingers through her hair. He'd never expected this of himself. He never thought he'd make love to a woman. Always telling his brothers he'd have a different girl every week, but now he couldn't fathom that being his life. This was his life, this was his love and this was the way things were meant to be. He soon fell into one of the best nights sleeps he'd had since Chase had reappeared.

AN: AH! I know finally right...lol...anyways theres the update that took me forever to write because it just did. Anyways hope you all enjoyed and if you did, please let me know by leaving a review! Please! Thanks! And check out the b-day gift photos I put up on my site


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